Barnstaple held to 4-4 thriller by recovering Bridgwater

Barnstaple Town remain unbeaten in the Toolstation Western League but an extraordinary 4-4 draw at home to Bridgwater United will feel more like a defeat for Barum.

After falling behind to an own goal, Barnstaple were inspired in their response, drawing level when Billy Tucker slammed home a penalty. Tucker soon doubled his tally after picking up a loose ball in the danger area.

Barum were in cruise mode when Myles Perkins notched his first of the campaign with a delightful finish from his own weaving run and the half-time chat would have been full of smiles. Those smiles got even wider when Tucker completed his hat-trick with a sensational volley to make the score 4-1.

Bridgwater, however, are also a side enjoying a string start to the season and their response was full of character, reducing the arrears with a goal from Jack Taylor. It was then over to Jack Thorne to set up a tense finish when he struck on 74 minutes.

Barum threw bodies in front of shots, headed everything that moved and were on the brink of a superb three points when Thorne popped up deep into stoppage time for a dramatic equaliser for the jubilant visitors.

The excitement levels were not quite so high for Ilfracombe Town in their tricky trip to Torpoint but the point gained at a side sitting at the top of the division was just as valuable. A 0-0 draw keeps the Bluebirds nicely placed in the top half of the table.

Bideford suffered a bad day at the office in the Southern League, as they were beaten 3-0 by an efficient Westbury United at the Sports Ground. Tavistock went down by the same score at Larkhall Athletic, while Exmouth lost 2-0 at Melksham Town on a bleak weekend for Devon clubs.

There is one shining light in the Southern League and the glow is coming from Willand Rovers, who thrashed Bishops Cleeve 4-0 to stay top of the table.