Sidbury boss Jeremy Schofield pulled no punches after his side were beaten at home by the Exeter-based opposition.

Schofield said: “There’s no doubt we have a lot of talent in this team. However, based on this performance we lack mental strength. The team appeared to hit the wall in the second half and stopped playing! I think they thought the game was won and with that work rate dipped and they got punished accordingly. Fair play to the opposition, but I am very unhappy with my team!”

Just a couple of weeks after thumping the same opposition in Exeter 6-0 United went into the game looking to hit top spot in the Fresha League Division One table.

In a bright start Ash Small latched onto a long ball from the back and neatly lobbed the advancing keeper to give United a 10th minute lead.

That advantage was doubled when Sam Seldon smashed the ball into the top corner from 30-yards. The rest of the first half saw Sidbury in control to such a degree that the visitors failed to register a single shot on target!”

The second half saw the hosts continue to enjoy the lion’s share of the ball, but the end result was to be very different to the score they had trooped off with at the break.

Within five minutes of the restart a Knights player found the back of the United net from ten yards. The frame of the goal denied them an equaliser before, with 20 minutes to go they did level things up at 2-2.

Both sides went in search of a winner. United went close a couple of times before the visitors rifled home a free-kick from 20-yards to seal all three points.

There’s the ideal game for United to respond to this disappointment tomorrow afternoon when they entertain Premier Division Seaton Town in the East Devon Senor Cup (2.30pm).