Sidmouth Warriors Under-8s went down 1-0 when they travelled to Exeter to face Stoke Hill Rovers.

On a very long pitch Warriors work rate was tremendous and almost took the lead after Alistair Mounoury narrowly shooting wide after being set up by Ethan Isaac.

Stepan Houvara was a busy boy in defence winning the ball calmly and picking out the correct passes.

The breakthrough arrived when a Stoke Hill free-kick took a wicked deflection off a Warriors player, leaving glovesman Oscar Finch no chance of saving it. The goal was tough on Finch who had made some terrific saves prior to the goal.

Lucas Vickery almost levelled after some great work by Lucas O’Connor, but a fine save denied him.

In the final minute, Alastair Mounoury picked the ball up from his own half and set off on a long run skilfully dribbling his way through the entire opposition defence, but then saw his shot narrowly miss the target!

Young Mounoury was named the Warriors’ Man of the Match.

Warriors followed up that game with a 2-1 success against Stoke Hill United. This was a match similar to the first one with plenty of end-to-end football.

Lucas O’Connor was denied a goal after a fine save by the Stoke Hill goalkeeper who then denied Lucas Vickery, not once, but twice!

At the other end of the pitch Warriors’ goalkeeper Oscar Finch had to be at his very best when making a brace of exceptional saves, but he was beaten just before the break and the home side led 1-0 at half-time.

An injury to Finch meant a half-time reshuffle and Ethan Isaac took over in goal.

The home team pressed hard for a second goal, but got little change out of the superb Stepan Houvara in defence. In a Warriors attack Alistair Mounoury shot wide before, at the opposite end of the pitch Isaac made a couple of fine saves. It was a fine pass from Lucas O’Connor that found Lucas Vickery and he drilled home the equaliser.

A magnificent diving stop from Isaac denied the hosts a second goal, but the third goal of the game did duly arrive when, after some approach play involving Mounoury, O’Connor and Vickery, the latter waltzed through to pass the ball into the net.

Young Isaac deserves special mention for his contribution to a splendid victory.