Town boss Josh Stunell speaks on his team’s opening day win at home to Alphington.

Sidmouth Town boss Josh Stunell could not have been happier with how things materialised on the opening day of a new South West Peninsula League Eastern Division season and his side’s 3-1 Manstone Lane win over Alphington.

The Vikings chief said: “For me the opening day is much more about a result rather than a performance. The latter will come, but all managers will tell you that an opening day win is a must to galvanise everybody and get you off to the best possible start. What the lads delivered was plenty of the first – we got a great result – and lots of the other – a good all-round performance. The pitch was as I had hoped for, even expected, true and even. We are very fortunate to have such a quality surface at Manstone Lane as it really helps us pass the ball and move the opposition around at will.

“Jake (Boyland) was superb throughout, though, as ever, there are areas I which we can show improvement and for him that would have to be finishing! He had a couple of one-on-ones that he really ought to have put away. Indeed he might well have helped himself to an opening day first half hat-trick had been a tad more composed and clinical. That said his all-round game was very good. He ran them ragged, causing their back line all manner of problems.”

Stunell continued: “Let’s give Alphington some credit. They were the better side after the break, but that might be because we had done so much of our work in the first 45 minutes and conditions were very hot. That first half show from us was very pleasing and it augers well for the season ahead that we can deliver such a performance on a blistering hot day. Of course, the acid test is to see if we can repeat that on the heavier grounds later in the campaign – but that’s to come. For now we can sit back and enjoy the fact that we have made a bright and promising start to the league campaign.”

On Saturday the Vikings head for the South Devon coast and a visit to a Teignmouth Town side that drew 1-1 at newboys Tiverton Town Reserves on the opening day.