BARNSTAPLE TOWN 1 BIDEFORD 2

10-man Bideford were victorious in the North Devon Derby yesterday with a 2-1 win against Barnstaple Town at Mill Road.

Ryan Turner and Billy Tucker scored the goals that once again gave Bideford the local bragging rights over their neighbours Barnstaple Town in a very eventful derby on a hot Monday afternoon.

Jordan Charran struck a couple of wild shots in the early going that flew well off target for the home side and Chris Ibbeson pulled a shot comfortably wide. Billy Tucker went close for The Robins early on powering a header goalwards from the edge of the box which Barum keeper Robbie Powell just about managed to deal with, with the help of his crossbar. Then came the breakthrough and it was almost inevitable it would be Ryan Turner. A through ball split the Barnstaple defence putting Turner in one-on-one with Powell and the striker coolly slotted into the bottom corner to the delight of the rowdy travelling support.

It looked for a moment like Turner would double his tally on 23 minutes as Craig Allan headed a Tucker free kick back across goal but the striker just couldn’t connect. Shaun Copp then shot just over from the edge of the box for Barum and Steve Oliver had to be alert to save low to his right from Karl Rickard. Back at the other end Craig Duff crossed for Tucker to volley the ball back across the six yard box but Turner once again wasn’t quite able to convert. It looked like Billy Hopcroft might equalise as he slotted past the advancing Oliver but his effort lacked the steam to cross the goal line before Allan was able to mop up.

Bideford then suffered a major setback on 41 minutes when Ian Sampson was adjudged to be the last man as he brought down Copp and was shown a straight red card. Charran’s resulting free kick from the edge of the area went harmlessly wide but the same man was put clean through on goal right before half time but couldn’t beat Oliver in a one-on-one situation who produced a hugely important save.
At half time Sean Joyce introduced Dan Harrison as Bideford switched to a back three and tried to stay on the front foot despite being a man light. Just three minutes into the second half Tucker saw a free kick cannon back off the Barnstaple crossbar with Powell beaten and Sean Downing glanced a header just wide from a corner. Oliver was then called into action first saving a Charran shot from distance, then from a Fletcher Williams free kick and most impressively from another long range Williams strike that looked destined for the top corner.

With 14 minutes to go Tucker broke away down the left for Bideford and into the Barum box where he was chopped down by Austen Booth. Tucker got up to take the spot kick himself but his shot clipped the outside of the right hand post and went wide. However Tucker made amends with ten minutes remaining, picking up the ball on the right side and cutting in on to his left to beat Powell with a low drive at the near post to surely make the game safe for the 10 men.

The final few minutes were not as comfortable as they might have been thanks to an excellent goal from Chris Ibbeson who volleyed home a beautiful bicycle kick from a long ball into the box. Barnstaple’s final chance to snatch a point came in the last minute of the ninety as a Williams free kick struck a fellow red shirt in the box and Charran blazed a volley over from eight yards out. Bideford then saw out six minutes of added time to secure a big three points to the delight of their travelling support.

Bideford: Oliver, Sampson, Mayne, Allan, Reed, Bye, Smallcombe, Downing, Duff (Harrison 45), Tucker, Turner (Veal 90). Subs: Barker, Squire, Western, Veal, Harrison.

Goals
Barnstaple Town: Ibbeson 87
Bideford: Turner 14, Tucker 80

Attendance: 502