Sidmouth Warriors Under-11s went down 5-2 in their Exeter and District Youth League meeting with Alphington Warriors.

Warriors were under pressure from the opening whistle and it needed two terrific Oscar Finch saves to deny the Exeter side in the opening exchanges!

However, the pressure continued and the Alphas netted four times in 10 minutes to take charge of the contest – though they were helped by some shocking defending!

The Warriors coaching staff made a few quick changes and moved the ever-consistent Laurence Coles into a central defensive berth and immediately things looked far more organised.

Indeed, it was the quick thinking of Coles with a free-kick that fashioned a chance for Lucas O’Connor, who still had lots of work to do before beating the Alphington goalkeeper with a left foot shot.

A similar goal was scored when Dylan Robbins provided the assist for O’Connor to net his second with another left-foot strike and half-time arrived with Warriors trailing by two goals at 4-2.

After the break the Warriors play was much improved and, with Coles, O’Connor and Seamus Kent impressing, it was only in the closing moments that the Alphas notched their fifth and final goal.

The Man of the Match award for Warriors went to two-goal Lucas O’Connor.