Sidmouth Town recorded their most impressive result this season when they returned from a visit to high-flying Appledore with all three points after beating the Fishermen 5-3.

What made the result all the more ‘eye catching’ was that the Vikings were forced to travel north for the contest without a number of regulars and no fewer than four of the club’s second team.

Damien Armes, Dec Lines, Anthony Griffiths and Will Jenkins all stepped up with Town boss Josh Stunell unable to call on the services of the either injured of unavailable Josh Mclean, Neil Pointing, Ben Burrows, Jamie Newbery, Riki Pitter, Kieran White, Ferenc Bodor and James Clampin!

A new central defensive pairing of Griffiths and Booth looked solid as the home side made the expected high tempo start.

However, after soaking up 15 minutes of pressure the Vikings launched a slick counter that ended with Nathan Antat finding himself unmarked inside the 18-yard box, and he made no mistake with his finish to give Town an unexpected lead.

Appledore responded well, but they continued to be susceptible to a counter and, when teenager Tyler Wellman put in a terrific left wing cross, it was met by an audaciously overhead kick by Antat and, when the ball fell to experienced master marksman Shaun Densham he made no mistake to make it 2-0.

After a succession of corners Appledore pulled a goal back on the 40th minute, and the Vikings trooped off at the break with a 2-1 lead.

Half time 1-2

During the break, Town tweaked their formation in order to deal with the inevitable onslaught.

Appledore came out all guns blazing and the Vikings defended well until the hour mark when the hosts levelled from a corner.

There followed a period of intense pressure from the home side, but Town faced it well and, just has they had done in the first half, they struck with a well constructed counter that ended, as it did 55 minutes earlier, with Antat scoring.

A thrilling contest was continued as Appledore once again restored parity at 3-3.

However, the Vikings were not finished and, with 10 minutes remaining, substitute Dan Norman picked up the ball on the right wing and crossed to the far post that was met by left back Tyler Wellman who had ran the length of the pith to get on the end of Norman’s cross and placing into the net to put Town 4-3 up!

Fittingly, it was Antat who had the final word as his outstanding movement was again rewarded when he found time and space in the area to apply a third clinical finish, complete his hat-trick and seal a superb success for the Vikings.

Sidmouth From: Lines, Binion, Griffiths, Booth, Wellman, Farrington, Jenkins, Gould, Antat, Swingler, Densham (C). Used subs: Norman, Armes and Evans

Star man – Nathan Antat