WITH the Clarets on a run of one win in ten games and Bude having scored just once in their last six, it was always likely to be a cagey affair when the sides met at Pennygillam on Tuesday and so it proved.

A glorious Spring evening helped attract a healthy midweek crowd of 124 and the game got off to an explosive start when the visitors moved ahead inside two minutes.

Callum Deemer, who has impressed recently both for Bude and Barnstaple, was left through on goal from a fine Ewan Reeves long pass and he calmly lofted his shot up and over the helpless Liam Hill.

The visitors started well and looked the livelier side in the early exchanges, on a Pennygillam surface that has firmed up markedly of late.

The Clarets were looking to end a run of dreadful results against the Seasiders and gradually worked their way into the game. Ryan Dawe and Mark Wilson combined well on the right, while Ollie Northam was a dominant figure on the left side of the Launceston defence.

The 16-year-old Jake Woodland showed great composure for Bude but a scrappy first half passed largely without incident as the visitors held onto their advantage without many alarms. Kian Berry posed a forward threat for the Clarets but generally lacked support.

Just after the hour, Launceston introduced Ben Harrison and Andy Watkins in place of Ryan Dawe and Jaden Wood. This marked the final appearance in a Launceston shirt for Watkins, who has been such a superb servant, both for Launceston and Cornish football in general.

Watkins is able to name Truro City and Bath City among his previous clubs, having made a Wembley appearance for the former, in their successful 2007 FA Vase campaign.

Watkins had only been on the pitch for a few minutes when the Clarets equalised. Kian Berry was bundled over and skipper Mike Steele, who has become a reliable penalty-taker, drove an unstoppable effort past the helpless Ty Rowe.

With the scores level, a previously dull game suddenly burst into life. Bude substitute Maximus Alvarez-Lopera, another with recent Barnstaple experience, saw a good opportunity blocked by the impressive Northam, who then repeated the feat by sliding in to deny Aled Thomas.

At the other end, Clarets substitute Ben Harrison fired narrowly wide from 25 yards while, in a heated final few minutes, Alvarez-Lopera, Steele and Harrison all collected yellow cards from previously under-worked referee Paul Redding.

After a lengthy period of added time, Mr Redding blew the final whistle.

The visitors will have been satisfied to build on Saturday’s goalless draw at high-flying Dobwalls, while Neil Price’s young Clarets avoided defeat in a competitive fixture against the Seasiders for the first time ever.

One encouraging aspect, for both clubs, was that ‘man-of-the-match’ honours went to teenagers. 16-year-old Jake Woodland for Bude and 18-year-old Ollie Northam for the Clarets.

LAUNCESTON: Liam Hill; Mark Wilson, Ollie Northam, Mike Steele, Alex Parnell, Jason Hoar, Jaden Wood, Jake Ham, Kian Berry, Tom Bullock, Ryan Dawe. Subs: Andy Watkins, Ben Harrison, Cameron Bailey.

BUDE TOWN: Ty Rowe; Harvey Dennis, Joe Edmonds, James Wheeler, Ewan Reeves, Aaron White, Steve Box, Jake Woodland, Callum Deemer, Archie Perrott, Joel Greening. Subs: Jago Tweitman, Aaron Hart, Maximus Alvarez-Lopera, Aled Thomas, Liam Dart.

Men-of-the-match: Launceston – Ollie Northam; Bude Town – Jake Woodland.