The travelling band of supporters who made the trip to Cornwall for Bridgwater Town’s first pre-season match against Saltash United were left in a joyous mood after a blistering 26 minute spell in the second half saw Town hit six goals without reply to stamp their authority on proceedings.

The game was a decent workout for the Bridgwater players and they showed a good level of fitness and skill. With a couple of new faces in the starting line up, Alex Pounde and Simon Ingram who both had excellent games, Town were always in control during the first half and created several goalscoring opportunities without finding that little bit of quality in front of goal.

That was all to change as the second period got underway as Nat Pepperell hit the first goal on 50 minutes, finishing well at the far post after a neat move and cross from the left wrong-footed the Saltash defenders.

Three minutes later it was two-nil after a fine through-ball found Pepperell 25-yards out from goal. His quality first touch and control gave him the opportunity to look up and spot the goalkeeper advancing off his line and he found the back of the net with a superbly measured chip.

Steve Orchard made it three-nil after 55 minutes finishing another lightning move that opened up the home defence. He received the ball on the edge of the Saltash penalty area and a fine turn gave him the room to curl his shot into the top right-hand corner of the net past the despairing dive of the goalkeeper.

After 62 minutes Chris Young was next on the score sheet with Town’s fourth as he slid the ball home underneath the keeper after out-pacing his marker to reach a ball played over the top of the Saltash defenders who were pushing up trying to play the offside trap.

Young repeated the feat 13 minutes later to make it five-nil, and the final goal came a minute later (76 minutes) as substitute Andrew Robertson finished off another fine move with a deflected shot from ten yards that left the home side’s players and supporters shell-shocked.

Although they play their football a couple of levels below Town, Saltash aren’t a bad side and will no doubt do very well in their league this season. But they simply couldn’t hold Town once they put their foot on the accelerator.