Sidmouth Town Reserves recorded a superb extra-time 4-3 success at Bow AAC in an East Devon Senior Cup tie.

The victory was made all the sweeter as it came against a side that plays a division higher than the Vikings second string this term.

On a bumpy unprepared pitch the youthful away side started brightly. The early exchanges saw Town go close twice as they took control of the game.

However, as so often happens when one team starts well but does not get ahead, the other scores against the run of play and that’s what happened to Town!

What’s more, the Vikings dropped their heads and failed to react to the setback and were hit by a second when an attacker was allowed too much space to waltz through the hesitant Town defence.

At this stage a rout looked possible as confidence had been knocked. However, with the likes of experienced campaigners Anthony Griffiths, Nick Gingell and Damien Armes, the youngsters around them followed their lead and finished the half on top, but with nothing to show for their efforts.

A half-time pep talk seemed to install new belief and the thought was if Town grabbed the next goal then it would be game on.

Liam Morrish duly obliged with an outrageous swerving shot from 30-yards that had the home keeper well beaten. In the next fifteen minutes Town could, and should, have scored from four gilt-edged opportunities.

They did eventually level when, after good work from Gingell, Joe Miller and Armes it was Ferenc Bodor who drilled the ball home to make it 2-2.

Soon after Jamal Iddo was upended in the penalty area and Bodor sent the home glovesman the wrong way to see Town into the lead for the first time in the contest.

The home side threw everything they had at getting a third of their own, but the Town defence, and particularly the outstanding Matt Colson kept them at arms length until, with what was virtually the last kick of the game Bow scored to send the tie into extra-time.

Tha Vikings looked shattered at conceding so late but found an extraordinary amount of energy to control the extra half hour that was played. The winner came when Bodor went on one of his trademark runs leaving a trail of defenders in his wake to poke the ball home at the second time of asking.

That proved to be the final goal of a thrilling contest.

Matt Colson was named Town Man of the Match.

On Saturday Town Reserves travel to Heavitree United Reserves in pursuit of Fresha League Division One points.