Sidmouth Town thirds were emphatic 11-1 winners when they made the trip across East Devon to meet Woodbury Reserves in a Macron League Division Seven game.

The Vikings third team travelled to Woodbury seeking a much needed confidence boosting result after a series of recent disappointments.

There had been some doubt as to whether Woodbury’s pitch would be playable after the overnight rain, but in the end the rain merely deprived the Woodbury ground staff of the chance to prepare a manicured surface.

It all meant that, on arrival, the Town players were greeted by a pitch which was not really conducive to their normal passing game and with Sidmouth needing to adapt their style to a somewhat lumpy pitch.

Town, playing down the slope in the first half, started slowly.

However, once they came to terms with the conditions they began to play with greater confidence.

The opening goal came courtesy of a teasing ball from Joe Gosse on the right hand edge of the area that crept into the top corner with a little help from a Woodbury head.

The lead was doubled when Connor Murphy whipped a free-kick round the Woodbury wall and into the net and, from a corner, Gosse turned sharply to make it 3-0.

Three became four with Jake Sellick glancing a header home and then Gosse completed a splendid first-half hat-trick, again showing sharpness in a crowded area to fire home.

A glancing header from Jake Sellick soon followed.

The sixth and final goal of the first half was netted by defensive kingpin and captain Ben Squance, rifling the ball home after another well delivered corner.

The half time talk focussed on the need to avoid complacency after Woodbury had staged a stirring comeback in the reverse fixture.

A wonderful cross from Reuben Raffell gave Joe Gosse the easiest of chances. Joe’s brother than added an eighth after getting on the end of a floated cross from Connor Murphy. Ollie Turton broke the Gosse monopoly on goals with a fine finish before a couple more from Joe Gosse completed the scoring.

After extensive debate it was felt that hat-tricks in each half from Joe Gosse probably justified him landing the Man of the Match award.

This resounding victory leaves Sidmouth in good heart as they play the final games of the 2016/17 season.