Sidmouth Town went down 3-0 on their visit to Okehampton Argyle for a South West Peninsula League, Eastern Division game.

Town began well and bossed the opening quarter of an hour. However, the home side, with Western League Premier Division Willand Rovers star Luke Alden in their ranks, gradually seized control and it was Alden who proved to be the difference with his superb movement and passing and it was no surprise when he crafted the opening goal in the 23rd minute on the 23rd minute, skipping passed Jake Boyland before sliding the ball to Tallen Burns who tucked it past Vikings’ gloves man Charlie Ledger.

Sixteen-year-old Jamie Newberry marked his senior debut for the club with an assured display winning tackles and making considered interceptions and Wes Tarr also impressed.

If the opening goal was a blow then the second, just two minutes later, deflated Town. Ledger and centre back Mike Pidgoen were on different wavelengths and the veteran Roger Bonaparte intercepted Pidgeon’s weak back pass and tucked the ball home through Ledger’s legs.

Town hit back and both Boyland and Pavey spurned chances to fire them back into contention before the interval.

Sidmouth altered their formation at half-time and this allowed them to try and stage the comeback and only exceptional goal keeping from Harry Geering in the Okehampton goal prevented at least one goal being scored by the visiting side.

Town dominated throughout the second half and should have scored on the hour mark when a Cox header, from point blank range, was gathered by Geering.

In the 65ht minute Geering somehow kept out an Andy Issac header and the gloves man was fully stretched again five minutes later to deny Andrew Thomson.

With the home goal seemingly leading a charmed life it was against the run of play that the hosts scored their third and final goal when Jason Cordice was sent clear and drilled low past Ledger.

Sidmouth From: Ledger, Pidgeon, Tarr, Newbery, Boyland, Bodor, Small, French, Thomson, Pavey, Isaac. Used Subs: Colson, Cox and Miller