SECOND in the table Torpoint made it eight successive wins in the Western League on Tuesday night – but they were pushed all the way by a resilient Ivybridge team at The Mill.

Skipper Elliot Crawford headed the Point into a 12th minute lead and when Max Gilbert made it 2-0 after 55 minutes the points relatively secure.

Rikki Shepherd, making a rare appearance on dual registration, should have scored Torpoint’s third two minutes later but fired over from close range.

That was the signal for the visitors to come to life and after hitting the woodwork a couple of times they finally scored when Kai Burrell reduced the arrears with 14 minutes to go.

Ivybridge carved out several half chances, with Burrell at the centre of their best moments, but they couldn’t find an equaliser and Torpoint spent the last few minutes playing for time in the corners.

Torpoint joint manager Dean Cardew said: “It was great to bounce back with a win on Tuesday night. I always prefer to play again as soon as possible after a bad result, but that only works if you win your next game so there was a lot of pressure on us to do this.

“We knew that Ivybridge would be a tough nut to crack as they’re a very fit, well organised side and we couldn’t allow ourselves to wallow in pity.

“We started the game really fast and got right on top of them in the first 10 minutes not allowing them to settle at all which set the tone.

“My only gripe was not killing them off as with the scoreline at 2-0 they still had hope which proved to be case with them getting a goal back which naturally gave us a nervy last 10 minutes.

“But with that said our game management was very good at the end to allow us to see out a deserved three points.”

Ivybridge joint manager Brad Gargett said: “We were delighted with the effort and application of the lads.

“Their squad selection pulled no punches which is a sign of respect to us. They are a good team, and they have worked hard for their three points and our boys pushed them to that.

“That’s all we can ask of our group which is new and improving all the time.

“I do feel really let down by the officials last night, for one of them not have seen an incident which first half is not good enough,

“I accept other decisions is a game of opinions but we didn’t seem to get an average of decisions either.”

Torpoint, looking for a reaction after Saturday’s shock 5-0 home defeat to Bovey Tracey in the FA Vase, took the lead in the 12th minute when a corner drifted to the far post where Crawford arrived to nod his header past former Point keeper Jason Peters.

There was a flashpoint two minutes later when home left wing back Callum Martindale appeared to stamp on Nathan Lang in the Ivybridge penalty area but the referee was well behind play and after consulting a linesman, decided a yellow card was sufficient punishment for Martindale.

Had Torpoint been reduced to 10 men so early on, the game might have taken a different direction but the home side continued to boss possession for the rest of the first half.

Four minutes into the second half a Gilbert free kick was headed over the bar by Callum O’Brien from 10 yards as the home side came out of the traps strongly..

Moments later, against the run of play, Ivybridge had a great opportunity to equalise when winger Cam Patterson raced clear but his low effort drifted inches wide.

The visitors were made to pay for that miss when Curtis Damerell, out on the right, threaded the ball into Gilbert on the edge of the box and he sent a powerful shot past Peters from 12 yards to make it 2-0..

Ten minutes later Jadore Lawson rattled the bar from 20 yards as Ivybridge rallied strongly and 14 minutes from time they did pull a goal back when a quick break released Burrell to fire past keeper Ryan Rickard.

The visitors had two strong penalty shouts turned away by the referee, who was well behind play for both incidents, as they pushed for an equaliser.

But Torpoint managed the last five minutes well and came close to killing the game off four minutes from time when a Gilbert free kick wide on the edge of the area was flicked over the bar by Freddie Chapman.

Torpoint: R. Rickard, D. Barker, F. Chapman, L. Murray, C. O’Brien, E. Crawfard, R. Shepherd (R. Richards 81), M. Gilbert, C. Damerell, S. Pearson, C. Martindale.

Sub not used: S. Hepworth, J. Rapson, D. Hicks, J. Rowe.

Yellow card: C. Martindale (14).

Scorers: E. Crawford (12), M. Gilbert (56).

Ivybridge: J. Peters, J. Lawson, K. Burrell (J. Forrest 94), N. Lang, J. Cook, S. Hillson, J. Smelt, J. Pope (O. Howard 88), J. Johnson, R. Smith (D. Tate 54), C. Patterson (K. Ogwu 64).

Sub not used: J. Thomas, B. Gerring, F. McLean

Scorer: K Burrell (76).

Referee: Luke Dennis.

Attendance: 163.

Man of the Match: Elliot Crawford.