Sidmouth Town net superb Brixham success

Sidmouth Town recorded the result of their league campaign with a 1-0 success at Brixham Villa thanks to a second half penalty slotted by skipper Aaron Doble.

Vikings boss Josh Stunell showed his tactical prowess in the first half of the game when he tweaked his team’s tactics to combat what looked a lively, and certainly industrious, home midfield.

Cameron Vere was moved into the Vikings midfield to provide some presence along-side Aaron Doble and Jordon Cooper and the ploy worked well.

At the back, Billy Rouse, Mark Burdus, Darren Thomas and young Jamie Newberry, were organised and dealt with whatever came their way with due diligence and plenty of confidence.

At the other end of the pitch Tony Cox was a constant threat to the hosts on the counter attack and, in the 35th minute, Vere received the ball 25 yards out and instinctively spun letting loose a terrific strike that narrowly went wide with the giant Brixham gloves man rooted to the spot.

After the break the Vikings introduced even greater tempo to their play with winger Mark Pavey leading the Brixham defence a marry dance!

The home ply to deal with the raiding Pavey was to bring him down and that paid dividends 20 minutes from time when Pavey was felled in the box and Doble, the Town Player of the Month for February, calmly drilled the spot kick home.

Brixham tried top respond, but the Town back line, much aligned at times this season when the goals against column has risen considerably, closed ranks to see the game out in some style, with Burdus deservedly crowned the Man of the Match.

Indeed, it might have been an even more impressive score line for the Vikings has not Rikki Pitter’s 80th minute header not been cleared off the line!

Town: Slark, Rouse, Newbery, Burdus, Thomas, Pavey, Doble (captain), Cooper, Cox, Vere, Pitter. Used subs: Boyland and Ogley: Unused Iddi.