Sidmouth Town 3, Budleigh Salterton 1 The Vikings served up a Good Friday feast of the unexpected kind for the Manstone Lane faithful as they saw off the visit of high-flying Budleigh Salterton to bag a rare South West Peninsual League, Eastern Division Three points.

Town went into the game looking to end a miserable sequence of six successive league reversals whilst the visitors pitched up in confident mood having won their previous outing 5-1 and having scored 33 in their twelve away league outings this term.

The home side made a bright and confident start with Andy Isaacs and Jake Boyland prominent.

However, the side’s nemesis this season has been their inability to make pressure pay and once again they suffered an early setback with Budleigh scoring with their first attack!

The Vikings were visibly shaken but kept their heads up and worked themselves back into the game. Andrew Thompson went close before Alex Raistrick forced the visiting gloves man to make a smart save as the equaliser was sought. It arrived seven minutes before the break and was no more than the home side deserved for their endeavours.

The lively Boyland was the scorer and his goal sent the Vikings intro the break all square.

The second half saw an even contest with Jack Burgess making a great save and his opposite number keeping a Greg Chaplin header out.

It was a touch of class from local lad Andrew Thompson that effectively sealed the game as he rifled in a shot from 25-yards that had the Budleigh keeper grasping at fresh air as it flew past him!

Budleigh rallied, but got little change out of the Town defence of Farringdon, Tarr, Griffiths and Thomas who shut up shot to great effect and, fro this secure foundation, it enabled Town to move forward with confident and the points were sealed five minutes from time by a superb finish from Raistrick.

A delighted Town boss Paddy Thomas said: “This was a massive result for the team. Its just reward for the amount of work that goes on, often unseen, to get things ready for match days and the victory must be dedicated to those people who do the all-important jobs around the club. I have been critical of my team this season when it has been clear to me that we have let our supporters down. However, the team deserve all the credit today for, in front of an expectant large crowd they delivered the goods.

Budleigh are a decent side with youth and pace and we faced it and dealt with their threat very well. Now we need to see more of the same.”

Tomorrow (Saturday) the Vikings head for a swift return with Budleigh Salterton at their Greenway Lane home (3pm).