Tipton St John suffered their first defeat of the Macron League Division Three season when they went down 3-1 to table-topping Crediton United who have now won all seven of their opening league games this season.

Beaten they might well have been, but there was only a small difference between the teams across the 90 minutes of action and that was in the finishing department!

The Mid Devon side were far more clinical than Tipton in front of goal! After falling behind, Tipton levelled when Adrian Small drilled home a spot kick, but two late goals sealed another win for the high-flying visitors.

Despite carrying a painful rib injury, Tipton head coach Dale Strawbridge played and after the game he said: “It was an eye-opener for us, and, as a team, whilst we are disappointed to have lost we can take some big positives from the contest. We had as many chances to score as they did – but their finishing was impressive.”

He continued: “They [Crediton] said after the game that we had given them their hardest test to date this season, so that was a big complement for us.”

The injury problems are mounting though for Tipton and skipper Sam Baker is now set for a couple of months on the sidelines as he recovers from a shoulder injury. However, on the plus side, Haydn Banfield may well be fit enough to make his much-awaited return from injury in Saturday’s big derby at home to great rivals Ottery St Mary (3pm).