Stoke Hill 1, Sidmouth Town 2 Sidmouth Town Under-13s emerged victorious from the much anticipated top-of-the-table clash with the Exeter side.

The richly deserved success sees Town sit top of the Division Two table.

Town made a high-tempo start and put the home defence under siege for the first ten minutes! There were penalty area thrills and spills aplenty, but the ball would not find its way into the back of the opposition net!

As doubts began to creep in as to whether it might be a day when it all went wrong, the home side, against the run of play, took the lead!

Stung by the set back, Town refused to feel sorry for themselves and, promoted the midfield trio of Tom Moore, Louis Spalding and Ben Goodier, took a foothold in the contest. Louis Adey became a thorn in the Stoke Hill side, but, attack as they did; with as Moore header going close and a Matt Salter shot cannoning back off the frame of the goal, the equaliser was not forthcoming.

During the break the Town youngsters were championed by the coaching staff to keep doing what they were doing and if they did they would surely get just reward!

The coach’s words were prophetic for the equaliser did arrive when Jack Miller rifled a shot home to be promptly buried beneath a cluster of celebrating team mates!

With Salter becoming more prominent on the left and Jacob Rice causing all sorts of problems up front it was no surprise when Rice put Town ahead, being in the right place at the right time after great work from Man of the Match Moore.

Stoke Hill stormed back, but got no change out of a solid Town rear guard in which Oram Bramble, Jay Harris, Toby Garrick, James Emmett and Will Ashby all played with a calmness that belied their years.

The final whistle was greeted with great joy as Town’s place at the top of the table was confirmed.