THERE is nothing like a big six point relegation battle to whet the appetite and this did not disappoint.

Both teams started sprightly with Bude creating the slightly better chances but it was the home side who scored first.

An initial attack down their left side was saved by Bude keeper Andy Davis but the ball bounced back to the Bodmin player who found his strike partner Kian Murphy unmarked. Murphy duly picked his spot and finished well past the diving keeper.

Bude had to dig deep as Bodmin really challenged them but Davis made a great number of solid saves to keep them in the game.

After riding out this tricky period, they ripped open Bodmin with some lovely passes down the right wing that saw the ball move quickly and purposefully until it found Robbie Scragg in the penalty spot area where he instinctively finished to make it 1-1.

With the upper hand and momentum on their side, Bude capitalised as they built a good period of sustained pressure on the hosts that resulted in a couple of penalty corners and despite Bodmin blocking the first one, the second was smashed home by Matthew Horton’s low rocket into the bottom corner.

Both teams battled hard for another goal but neither succeeded before the half time break. Bude were focused on scoring the next goal and the build up play did not disappoint as Bude came out strong but were unable to convert any of their chances.

It was not all perfect as Bodmin managed to create chances of their own but the Bude defence was strong with Andy Davis pulling off a number of spectacular saves.

However, a momentary lapse in concentration meant the Bude defenders failed to fully clear a Bodmin attack which was fired straight back into the danger zone where a Bodmin player reacted first to deflect the ball in the goal to make it 2-2.

Bude responded well and created more chances and this pressure built and turned into more penalty corners and despite them not going quite to plan, they converted one into a precious goal on 55 minutes as Robin Jennings injected the ball to Charlie Falla who squeezed a shot towards goal.

Despite the shot going wide, Jennings nipped in at the near post and forced the ball over the line from a tight angle to give his side the lead again.

Bude sensibly tried to shut up the shop in the final quarter and were pretty solid with everybody putting in a shift.

They managed to hold Bodmin at bay until, with a mere 30 seconds left on the clock, disaster stuck as a straight forward sideline ball that should have been smashed as far forward as possible was rolled across the back towards goal.

The Bodmin striker pressured the Bude defence into panicking and once he had the ball under control, he slotted into an empty net to make it 3-3. The game did restart but there was no time left and Bude were left shell shocked.

The away side will live to fight another day as this vital point puts them one point ahead of the two chasing teams which they need to stay above to avoid the down.