Sidmouth Town were edged out by the odd goal in seven in a Good Friday Groundhop Day, East Devon derby thriller that was watched by a terrific crowd of 336.

The kick-off was delayed by almost an hour as one of the Groundhopper-transporting coaches had not arrived.

When the game did get underway it was the Vikings who scored first with a 33rd minute opener; Ryan Davies heading the ball past visiting glovesman Alan Doble.

The lead did not last long – indeed, just eight minutes – with Andy Taylor drilling the ball past Town goalkeeper, skipper Robbie Powell, and that sent the teams into the interval locked at 1-1.

Three minutes into the second half Budleigh edged ahead thanks to an own goal and, soon after it was 3-1! The Robins’ won a free-kick that was delivered to a crowded penalty area and Dan Boere turned the ball home.

The Town reply was instant – and clinical – with Rob Knight rifling the ball home and, three minutes after being two down, the Vikings’ deficit was back to one goal.

However, just two minutes after finding their way back into the contest, Town were once again two goals in arrears as Powell spilled a Kyle Bassett shot and Mike White had the easiest of chances to fire the Robins back into what was, given the worsening conditions on a badly cut-up Manstone Lane surface, a match-winning lead.

Typical of Josh Stunell’s Town side, they refused to give in and they got a late third through a second goal from Knight.

A superb turnout of 336 took in the game, the first of the Good Friday Groundhop matches and, once the visitors had sampled the after-match hospitality in the Town clubhouse they boarded their coaches to travel into Exeter to take in the Honiton Town versus Ilfracombe Town game that had been switched from a waterlogged Mountbatten Park pitch in Honiton to the artificial surface that is home to Exwick Villa.

For Town, it’s a case of turning their attention to their next outing which is Saturday’s (April 7) home meeting with Appledore.

A win over the North Devon side would virtually ensure the Vikings avoid any danger of being dragged into a battle to avoid a bottom three finish.