TWO goals in the first two minutes sent Bovey Tracey on their way in Wednesday night’s 4-2 win over Torridgeside.

Spectators at Mill Marsh Park had barely settled into their viewing spots before Jamie Hodge and Ollie Aplin had given the hosts the best possible start.

Aplin added his second on 16 minutes, but the visitors fought back with a goal either side of half-time to make it 3-2. Cieran Bridger’s goal on the hour ultimately secured the points.

Will Small’s side opened the scoring with less than a minute gone when the ball fell to Hodge in the area and he curled an effort past visiting keeper Niall Leahy.

Moments later it was two when Lewis Perring got free down the left hand side and cut back to Aplin, who applied a simple finish.

Torridgeside soon shook off the early shock and began to create some chances of their own. Jimmy Weeks had to be alert to tip Brian Levine’s effort around the post, with the unmarked Neil Bettiss heading over from the resulting corner.

But with a little over quarter of an hour gone they were given a mountain to climb as the Moorlanders added their third.

Aplin got to the ball before Leahy and prodded it goalwards, with the retreating defender unable to keep it out on the line.

Bovey were dealt a blow when they lost the ever-lively Perring to an ankle injury, and six minutes before the break they had their lead cut to two goals.

Taren Stacey’s speculative cross from the right was met by the boot of Alfie Stevens, who smartly volleyed past Weeks to give his side hope.

Five minutes into the second half T-Side got themselves right back in it when Shaun Copp had his free-kick well saved and Nick Glover followed in to stroke home the rebound.

But it only took until the hour for Bovey to pull clear again, with Bridger aiming a cross to the far post which outfoxed Leahy and nestled into the corner of the net.

Owen Stockton stung the travelling stopper’s palms before centre-half Tyler Yendle was sent to the sin-bin for most of the final 10 minutes – but the home side saw out the game to keep all three points in Teignbridge.

After the game, Bovey boss Small said he was pleased with how quickly his side came out of the blocks.

‘In the past few games I think we’ve been very slow-starting,’ said Small. ‘We’ve kind-of waited until the second half to really get going.

‘Part of the team talk tonight was about coming out of the blocks quickly. When we played them away we got an early goal which settled us, so we knew that if we did that again we could get at them.

‘Two goals in two minutes was a perfect start and at 3-0 the lads were doing everything that was asked of them.

‘Then after that we thought the game was won and became lazy in our attitude. Individually we started doing the wrong things and handed them a route back into the game.

‘We’ve gifted them two goals which in my opinion they did not deserve. Yes the pitch got heavier as the game went on, but we deserved the three points and it was comfortable in the end even with 10 men.’

It was Bridger’s strike half an hour from time which sealed the deal for Bovey – but the jury’s out on whether he meant it.

‘It’s one of them – he’s putting it in an area,’ Small added. ‘He’ll say he’s shooting, everyone else will say he’s crossing, but that’s down to the quality he has on the ball.

‘If you give him the time around the box he’s going to get a shot on target or put it on a plate for somebody.

‘He’s got that bit of class if you can get him on the ball in the right areas and he showed that tonight. He deserved his goal and he battled hard.’

And he added: ‘Ollie [Aplin] will score goals wherever he goes, so it was no surprise he came in and got two in quick succession.

‘Lewis Perring looked dangerous down that left hand side during the first 10 minutes but then he’s gone over on his ankle. It looks like a bad one, so he may be out for a while.’

Bovey face a tough task tomorrow when they travel to Peninsula Premier East leaders Okehampton Argyle (3pm).