JAMES Watts-Barciela put Crediton United to the sword on Wednesday night as Bovey Tracey roared to a 4-0 win in the Peninsula League Premier East.

Watts-Barciela orchestrated a formidable Bovey performance with a hand in each goal, scoring one and assisting Jerry Revell, Ollie Aplin and Tom Dunlop as the Moorlanders put right the wrongs of Saturday’s defeat in the reverse fixture.

‘It’s funny,’ Bovey boss Tony Radford explained, ‘playing a team we played three days ago and going in at half-time with the same scoreline – three days ago we lost and, of course, that was hammered home to the boys at half-time. 

‘First half I thought we were great, and me and their manager [Dan Western] spoke to each other and said ‘it’s deja vu’. But second half we were really, really good. We were ruthless. Crediton had a couple chances – they’re a good side – but we were clinical. Our goals were really good and we probably could have had more in the end. 

‘It’s nice to beat a team in the top six at home – where we’ve struggled a bit this year – and I thought we were very worthy winners.’

The hosts set the tone within 100 seconds of kick-off when Watts-Barciela cleverly lifted a delivery over the defence and 18-year-old Revell latched onto the pass, allowed the ball to bounce and lashed a mouthwatering volley past hapless goalkeeper Lee Waring.

‘Jerry Revell started and scored after a couple of minutes with an absolute worldie but he started so aggressively and I love it,’ Radford said. ‘Unfortunately he had to come off – he got a knock to the head – but he started our tempo when he knocked the centre-half over and scored a beauty. What is he, 18?’

Bovey found themselves emerging from the half-time interval in the same position from which they were beaten in Crediton on Saturday. This time they reached the hour mark unscathed and then, two minutes later, doubled the lead. Teenage winger Watts-Barciela weaved his way between defenders on the edge of the box before dropping a shoulder to beat the last man and neatly tucking his shot into the bottom corner.

‘I didn’t have to say too much – the lads knew,’ said Radford on his side’s reaction to the defeat. ‘Sometimes it’s just about having players that have the courage to help someone out with some good information or doing the hard yards to get back even if it’s not your job; it’s doing that sort of stuff and trying to encourage them to help each other.

‘James is 18,’ he continued, ‘Kai [Swann] is 18, I brought on Harvey Coggins who plays for the under-18s and Jerry’s 18. Keeping hold of them is half of the problem but I’m really happy with the young lads.’

League top scorer Aplin added his customary goal with 15 minutes to play as his supremely timed run met an inch-perfect Watts-Barciela cross and he guided the ball past Waring with a deft touch on the volley.

‘I don’t care [when Aplin misses chances] because I know he will score,’ Radford insisted. ‘I said on Saturday he would score two – he didn’t, their ‘keeper made some great saves – but Ollie will always score goals. 

‘He puts himself in those positions to miss or score them; as long as he’s there getting the chances, I don’t have an issue. He scored one tonight and could’ve had a couple more but look at his work-rate – half the night he’s running back at right-back helping. He brings a hell of a lot to the team.’

Dunlop got in on the act deep into injury-time. Watts-Barciela played provider again as he cut in from the left flank and slipped the ball through for the substitute centre-back-turned-striker, who set himself with a touch before placing the shot underneath the ‘keeper.

‘I’ve told the squad they’re all going to be playing [before the end of the season], and that was summarised by Tom Dunlop, our centre-half, coming on up front, looking like prime Zlatan [Ibrahimovic] and slotting one in the bottom corner,’ Radford laughed. ‘He joked to me that he can play up front and, to be fair, he played 45 minutes up front away at Newton Abbot Spurs earlier in the season because, again, I had no numbers.’

The result sees Crediton slip from third to fourth on goals scored, level on points and goal difference with now third-placed Axminster Town, with whom they drew 1-1 on Monday night. Bovey move within six points of second place – currently occupied by Bridport – with five matches still to play. Only 11 points separate second from 11th-placed Teignmouth.