It was a great start to the season for East Budleigh Reserves, who, after conceding an early goal, came back to comfortably beat Dawlish in Division 4 thanks to a man of the match display from Toby Hill.

A quarter of an hour in, it was the visitors that went ahead, but Budleigh were soon on level terms. A short corner from Tom Christian led to Toby Hill heading in a fine cross from Ross Bright.

The Jays were now in the ascendency and it was Hill again who squeezed in his second after receiving a pass from Dan Atkinson. Hill was then denied a third by a fine save, whilst Ben Wiltshire shot marginally wide.

After the break, the visitors had their moments, but the Budleigh keeper Drew Shorrock and his defence of Owen Corrick, Lewis Fletcher, Nick Tweedie and Bright worked hard as a unit in front of Wiltshire in the heart of the midfield.

Both Fletcher and Corrick made good clearances before the points were sealed. Joe Bowden replaced Ben Wilks and produced an excellent cameo from the bench with goals three and four; Brad Hill and another sub, Curtis Ashton Fraser, claiming the assists.

Final score 4-1 to East Budleigh.

The Jays made it two wins from two in Stitch2print League 4, beating Cheriton Fitzpaine in a ten-goal thriller.

On a very hot August afternoon, Budleigh took time to settle on what was a difficult surface and it was the hosts who went ahead after 10 minutes, but it did not take long for Budleigh to level; Tom Christian challenged the ‘keeper and the ball ended up in the net.

Christian then turned provider when Ross Bright headed in his corner and then scored the third with a perfectly curled shot.

After the break, Budleigh took control of the points, as Ben Wilks lobbed the ‘keeper for number four, before Rian Hill, Joe Bowden and Curtis Fraser joined the action and it was the former that added a quickfire double to make it six.

However, a goal direct from a corner and an unstoppable shot brought it back to 6-3, before Bowden completed the rout late on.

It was a good all-round team display from a Budleigh side who are at Bampton this Saturday in the Bill Slee Cup (kick -off 4-45pm)