Sidmouth Town suffered a sixth defeat in nine South West Peninsula League Eastern Division games when they went down 4-2 at Appledore.

However, manager Josh Stunell was not down cast in any shape or form after the game and he explained his upbeat manner saying: “For the first two-thirds of the game we played second fiddle to a very good home team. However, on the hour mark, with a little tweaking of formation, we took charge and, frankly, bossed the final third of the match. Indeed, I feel had we had another 10 minutes we’d have got something out of the game.”

He continued: “I made a point of saying to the lads post match that they must not be too down beat about this result for their performance in the last 30 minutes was exceptional and what is very clear is that if they can reproduce the sort of stuff they played in the final third of the game then we enjoy success over what remains of the season.”

Appledore scored four times as they dominated the first hour with Tom Marsh helping himself to a hat-trick. The home side led 2-0 at the break, though had debutant Jake Allen not spurned a glorious chance, the Vikings would have been on the score sheet themselves. A second half double from Marsh put Appledore in total charge before a superb strike by Allen reduced the arrears. Allen applied a superb finish after first controlling a dropping ball with his chest. A second soon after, scored by Craig Hodgson, gave the Vikings real hope, but there were to be no further goals.”

Stunell said: “Yes, beaten we might well have been, but I think we learned a lot and hopefully we will take plenty from it and move on confidently to the next game,”

Town had been a blow before the game with news of a rib injury to talisman Cameron Vere which meant that the leading scorer could not play.

As for a Vikings star man, that accolade went once again to Ryan Davies. Stunell said: “He (Davies) was simply outstanding. He really is a player of genuine class at this level.”