Sidmouth Town gave a debut to Cameron Vere after signing talented defender from Exmouth Town in last Saturday’s 6-0 defeat at ambitious, and high-flying, St Martins.

Vere has spent the last two years at Southern Road, Exmouth, playing in the Premier Division and Vikings boss Josh Stunell has worked with the youngster before, both at Seaton Town and with the Devon County Under-16 side.

With many local games off there was a three-figure crowd for the South West Peninsula League, Eastern Division game at the Minster Park home of the Saints.

The Vikings made a confident start with Jake Boyland and Mark Pavey both dominant in the early exchanges, making real progress down either flank.

However, once again, and it has been a reoccurring theme this season for Town, they were unable to take advantage of some splendid approach play that produced two or three gilt-edged scoring opportunities.

Had one, or two as should have been the case, of the chances gone in it might well have served to ultimately force a different outcome than the 6-0 reversal Town were left to suffer come full-time!

After 25 minutes of near total domination the Vikings fell behind when Dax Vincent rifled a low shot past goalkeeper Charlie Ledger. With half-time beckoning a Ben Smith shot from 18-yards was parried by Ledger, but typical of the way the ball has seemed to run this season for Town, it fell invitingly to former Willand Rovers striker Joey Hawes who slammed it home.

Four minutes into the second half the home side made it 3-0 courtesy of a Kevin Pike goal and two goals in three minutes on the hour-mark, Hawes and Pike both scoring a second each, put St Martins in complete charge.

The scoring was completed with still a quarter of the contest remaining with Joey Hawes claiming his hat-trick as a 69th minute low shot from 20-yards beat the fully-stretched Ledger.

Sidmouth Town: Ledger, Cox, Colson, Vere, Newbery, Doble, Armes, Pavey, Boyland, Small, French. Used subs: Pidgeon, Parr and Kana’ah. Unused sub: Miller.

Town are without a game this weekend, but are in action on each of the reamining three Saturday’s in January playing away each time at Appledore, Galmpton United and Newton Abbot Spurs before they are next at Mastone Lane on February 7 when Okehampton Argyle provide the opposition.