Sidmouth Town slipped to a disappointing 5-1 defeat when they entertained Honiton Town and, in losing, conceded a season’s league double to the divisional new boys who had also beaten them earlier in the season at Mountbatten Park.

On a heavy Manstone Lane surface, both teams struggled to get any rhythm going to their games.

It was not until the 20th minute that the game saw its first chance at either end. The opportunity fell to Devon Under-18 skipper Ollie Jarret, who was left unmarked at the far post, but, with just Rowan Symonds in goal to beat, the teenager placed his shot wide.

The deadlock was finally broken just before the break when Honiton Town’s Tom Perryman whipped a cross into the Sidmouth box that found Joe Mulhall unmarked and the Honiton striker flicked the ball onto another unmarked player Joe Dixon, who applied the final touch to fire his side head.

There was still time for a Sidmouth response and Connor Swingler was a whisker away from an immediate leveller when his looping header was expertly tipped over the bar by Symonds.

The visitors made a bright start to the second half and doubled their advantage when Perryman supplied another good cross into the box that Mulhall turned home to make it 2-0.

Shortly afterwards, Sidmouth goalkeeper Dan Stapleton rushed a clearance that found the feet of Blake Freemantle, who calmly lobbed the ball into an empty net from 30 yards to make it 3-0!

The Vikings reacted and applied some heavy pressure which eventually resulted in a goal on the 65th minute from Shaun Densham.

Moments later, Riki Pitter headed straight at Symonds when well placed. Then, to rub salt into the wound, former Vikings favourite Andy Isaac came off the bench to add to Honiton’s goal tally, netting the visitors’ fourth after a neat passage of play.

However, the goal of the game was saved for last and it came when Devon Under-18 player Ashley Mitchell picked up the ball deep in the Sidmouth half and then produced an amazing run, beating four defenders, before firing low into the bottom corner.

Sidmouth: Stapleton, Jarrett, Newbery, Clenahan (c), Antat, Pitter, Wellman, Davies, Swingler, Knight, Evans. Used Subs: Anderson, Densham and Clay. Star Man – Ashley Mitchell (Honiton Town).