Sidbury United enjoyed a second successive ‘Perfect Day’ as they won a big Fresha League Premier Division game and rivals dropped points, writes Steve Birley.

Sidbury United enjoyed a second successive ‘Perfect Day’ as they won a big Fresha League Premier Division game and rivals dropped points, writes Steve Birley.

United were 1-0 winners over a Heavitree United side that had lost just three times prior to their visit to Byes Lane.

A goal nine minutes from time by substitute Dan Churchill settled a close contest.

A third successive clean sheet means it’s almost five hours since United gloves man Jamie Harvey has had to fish the ball out of the back of his net.

The last time Sidbury’s defence was breached was by Chard Town on December 20!

The star of the show – again – was Tom Matthews who walked away with the Drain Master Man of the Match award for the second game running.

Matthews orchestrated things in midfield, but this was no one-man show. Far from it, United are currently playing as a well-organised and disciplined outfit.

The Byes Lane pitch looked a sorry state after the meeting with the Heavies. With overnight frost and ice thawing into an already soggy surface it made the going heavy and the surface badly cut up come full-time.

Team boss Jamie Schofield is also the Byes Lane groundsman, and he said: “It’s going to take a while to recover and I’d think our scheduled game this weekend may well be in doubt.”

With table-topping Tiverton Town and Feniton sharing four goals at Acland Park it all means things are getting very tight at the top of the Fresha League Premier Division table.

United completed half of their season of 30 fixtures with the game against Heavitree and they currently sit just six points adrift of Tiverton Town with second-placed Heavitree United three points better off having played once more.

When asked about his side’s title chances, Schofield said: “Hand on heart, no chance! Of course, in reality any of the top six can believe they have what it takes to win it. For us to be amongst the big boys and to be even talked about as potential title winners is music to my ears.

“I am a realist and there are clearly teams with larger squads that us who have the means to be able to cover injuries an unavailability in a way we can’t.

“That said, the top six all seem to be playing each other over the course of the next month, so it might be prudent to reassess our chances in six or seven weeks’ time.

“Suffice to say, if we get the opportunity to win it, we’ll take it with both hands!

“However, our way remains one of simply taking each game as it comes.”