SUMMER signing Ollie Aplin continued his successful return to Ivybridge Town by scoring a hat-trick in their 6-0 home win over Sticker in a pre-season friendly at Erme Valley on Tuesday July 16.

Aplin, who rejoined Ivybridge from Bovey Tracey, has now scored in all three pre-season games to date.

He was among the scorers in a 3-3 draw at Newquay on July 6 and was also on target at Wendron on Saturday (July 13) when Ivybridge won 1-0 to retain the Leon Sargent Challenge Cup, which is contested between the two clubs on an annual basis.

The one home match in the Ivybridge pre-season programme saw Aplin open the scoring in the 14th minute against Sticker.

Ivybridge then enjoyed impressive periods of domination although it was not until the 67th minute that their efforts were rewarded with their pressure forcing Sticker to concede an own goal.

That opened the floodgates with Aplin showing his finishing skills with two goals in the 73rd and 74th minutes, first with a close-range shot and then heading home to round off another fine attacking move.

Ivybridge took the opportunity to give playing time to their substitutes and Owen Pritchard cashed in by rounding off the scoring with two more goals in the 76th and 83rd minutes.

Two final away matches see Ivybridge complete their pre-season preparations with visits to Liskeard on Friday July 19 and Bodmin on Tuesday 23.

Ivybridge begin the new campaign in the Jewson Western League with a home match against Bridgwater on Saturday 27.