Bideford stun league leaders Hemel Hempstead

BIDEFORD produced a fantastic performance to stun league

leaders Hemel Hempstead Town with a 3-2 win at the Sports Ground this

afternoon.

The Robins played the entire second half with ten men after

Dominic Rivans was sent off just before half time.

But two goals from

Kevin Squire and a tremendous strike from Richard Groves rewarded one of their

best displays of the season.

Hemel, the early pace-setters in the Evo-Stik League Southern premier

division, went ahead after 16 minutes when Dave Pearce broke free to slot past

Paul Hider.

Bideford responded positively, pulling level on 30 minutes

when Squire volleyed into the roof of the net as the visitors failed to clear a

corner from Groves.

The hosts suffered a major setback when Rivans was sent off

for use of the elbow in an aerial challenge with Matt Nolan yet they played

some fine football on the counter-attack to take a 3-1 lead.  

Groves cracked a fine goal from the edge of the box to make

it 2-1 soon after half time and Squire nodded the third in the 69th

minute when Sean Downing beat goalkeeper Sam Beagle to a cross from Groves.

With the pressure mounting in the closing stages, the

visitors pulled one back when substitute Joe Bruce struck at a corner.

Despite throwing men forward, Hemel could make no further

breakthrough against an excellent defence and their frustrations were

compounded in stoppage time with David King sent off for a second yellow card.

Bideford's third win in four games moved them up to 15th

place, four points clear of the relegation zone.

In the Toolstation Western League premier division,

Ilfracombe Town were beaten 3-2 at Odd Down. Barnstaple Town's match at Gillingham Town was postponed.

North Devon's interest in the Graddon Vending Devon Premier

Cup is over after Boca Seniors lost 5-4 at University of Exeter in the last 16.