JAMES Watts-Barciela netted the only goal in Bovey Tracey’s 1-0 win over Sidmouth Town on Saturday.

Watts-Barciela scored after only 10 minutes as Bovey went unbeaten for the 10th time in 12 matches since the beginning of the calendar year.

‘It was an extremely tough game against an organised, direct side,’ said Bovey boss Tony Radford. ‘We started the game really well and scored one but then actually had two or three really good opportunities. 

‘I said to Jay [Revell], my assistant, ‘we really need to get another here,’ and then a minute later Sidmouth won a penalty. Their penalty-taker absolutely laced it against the crossbar which gave us a little bit of a let-off. Sidmouth hit the post after that.

‘It’s quite frustrating because they are very direct in how they play but we then joined that way of playing, which kills us. We probably had four or five really good opportunities to finish the game but didn’t take them and then, last kick of the game, they hit the crossbar. We could’ve made it so much easier for ourselves.’

Teenager Watts-Barciela was Sidmouth’s tormentor-in-chief, scoring the winner and being fouled to bring about a red card for the Vikings’ Tiernan West. The 18-year-old has been pivotal in each of Bovey’s last seven goals – two of which scored himself.

‘James is a lovely lad who just loves football, which is really nice to have in your side,’ Radford said of his starlet. ‘He started pre-season on the bench because we didn’t know much about him. He played himself into the side and he’s barely left it since. 

‘He gets some rough treatment on the pitch and he gets cut in half two or three times a game but he pops back up and does what he does. From the first game until now he’s grown, and he’s only going to get better. 

‘The lads appreciate him and I appreciate him too but I hope it’s both ways; I hope he appreciates Bovey have given him a really good opportunity to go and get better all season.’