CREDITON UTD 6-0 AXMINSTER TOWN

CREDITON returned to winning ways with this comprehensive victory over the Tigers of Axminster last Saturday.

Although the scoreline was emphatic, it was really only in the second half that Crediton were to dominate this match.

Will Collins scored his third hat-trick of the season and unusually all three of his goals were penalties, a feat I cannot remember seeing happen before.

There was no Lukey White in the starting lineup but otherwise Crediton were unchanged, with the immaculate Kevin Pike starting on the right wing and in the early stages it was he who caused endless problems for the Axminster defence.

In fact it was a combination of Pikey and the referee who were the chief catalysts in the first half.

Time and time again KP was floored as defenders were completely incapable of stopping him any other way. There was a booking after one particularly clumsy challenge, and this was to have major implications.

Will Collins went close after a Kevin Pike corner on the right, but Axminster were not overawed and played positively during the first half an hour or so.

Then there was an incident where the referee gave a second yellow, as Kevin Pike was yet again brought to the ground and the ref then sent off the booked Axminster player.

So the Tigers were down to 10 men. Soon it would be nine, as one of their players was sin-binned to boot.

Collins went close again and Kevin Pike shot over after good work from Joe Southcott.

Finally, on 35 minutes, Isaac Littlejohns broke forward and sent a clinical right-foot shot past the goalie and into the net. Crediton were winning 1-0.

Axminster were still down to 10 as the second half began to unfold and after only three minutes of the restart Kevin Pike was felled in the box and Will Collins drilled the ball in and the home side were two up. 2-0.

Axminster did not give up and went close on a couple of occasions but were thwarted by the impressive Lewis Layton in the Crediton goal.

Midway through the half, Crediton were gifted a third as another penalty was given for handball and Collins shot home with the goalie nowhere. 3-0.

With 20 minutes left, a trip in the area gave the home side another penalty which Will converted and gave him a third hat-trick of the season. Will is still the top scorer in the division with 12, and 15 for the season so far.

The game was well and truly up for the Tigers and just three minutes later Kevin Pike crowned what for him was a five-star performance with a great goal. Cutting in from the right and firing low, beating the keeper on the near post for 5-0.

New boy Carstairs went close for Crediton and then, a thing of beauty as with six minutes left, defender Steve Goss fired one in with a magnificent strike from way outside the penalty area and the score was 6-0.

This victory takes the Lords Meadow men up to sixth in the table and next week it's a trip to Newton Abbot Spurs for a 3pm kick off. Well done lads.

Crediton team: Layton, Maynard, Goss, Lee, Butterfield, Littlejohns, Pike, Harris, Collins, Southcott, Bond. Subs: Tootell, Carstairs, Wilson, Lungu.

Man of the Match was Kevin Pike.

Paul Whittall