NEW Newton Abbot Spurs boss Marc Revell watched his side earn their first win of pre-season against Torpoint Athletic Reserves last night.

James Moxon’s quick-fire second half double got the Peninsula Premier East side going at Coach Road before Byron Robinson pulled one back for the visitors.

But Owen Green’s effort from distance restored the two-goal advantage with seconds to play and the game ended 3-1.

Both sides were missing multiple players because of Covid self-isolation rules as the virus continues to disrupt pre-season plans across the area.

And the Spurs initially found themselves firing a blank in front of goal despite dominating the play for large periods of the first half.

It took until the 72nd minute for Moxon, who impressed with the club’s reserves last season, to head in from a corner on the left hand side.

Barely three minutes later and the former Buckland man had his second, this time nodding in from open play.

Joel Hawker-Patchett in the Spurs net wouldn’t leave with the clean sheet he wanted – but it took a great curling effort from Robinson to beat him in the final 10 minutes.

Revell’s men never looked like throwing it away, though, and Green’s swerving effort at the death sealed the victory.

Despite the Covid disruption, Revell is confident that it’s a case of so far, so good in his transition from Homers Heath to The Rec.

‘It’s actually been a nice way for me to introduce myself to the lads,’ he explained at full-time.

‘I had six or seven [players] that I wanted to bring in, added to the 15 or so who were already here, so it means I haven’t got to talk to 22 people at once.

‘It would be nice to have them together as a group from minute one but you can’t help Covid and you’ve got to be respectful of the policies.

‘But it means everyone can get a bit of game time, train in smaller groups and get to know each other a bit more. Then when we put everyone together a bit closer to the season, they should all understand the system.

‘Ultimately I have to pick a squad of 15 or 16 for the first season. I’m excited about it but I’m also dreading picking from 20-plus people because you have to let eight or nine down.

‘But it looks good at the minute, for sure. Regardless of Covid I’m positive.’

Tuesday night’s line-up included a handful of players who were with Revell at Buckland last season – including the likes of Ryan Stanbridge, Callum Livingstone and his brother Simon.

‘I could have brought my Buckland side from the Devon Football League to the Peninsula League and continued them,’ Revell said.

‘But it’s nice to be handed a new set of players along with what I had because I can offer some of the Buckland lads the chance to come across.

‘Respectfully, I didn’t tell everyone to just come across because I wanted to respect who’s at Newton Spurs.

‘The players who are here already are quality. They’re an established Peninsula League side. There’s so many gifted footballers here and they showed that tonight.’

One such footballer is Moxon, whose performances for the reserves in the Devon Football League Mini Tournament have earned him a crack at first team action.

‘He’s class,’ Revell said. ‘I was really gutted when he left Buckland, but he came here to play with his mates and also to step up potentially to the Peninsula League.

‘If James was going sideways, I would have said “mate, come on”. But he’s stepped up so it’s nice to come in and join him and to have him embrace me. He’s good enough for this level and beyond I think.’

The Spurs’ pre-season schedule is due to continue this Saturday with a trip to newly-promoted DFL side Mount Gould (3pm).