Sidmouth Town sealed a second double of the season with a 2-1 win at Exwick Villa.

The Vikings’ ninth win of the season came in an entertaining game in Exeter that saw both sides reduced to ten men before the visiting faithful departed happy after a 2-1 success with goals from Tony Cox and Rikki Pitter.

Town boss Josh Stunell said: “It was a terrific finish from a natural goal scorer. We deserved it and, I do think, perhaps oddly to some, that when it was 11 versus 11 they were controlling it and yet, at 10 versus 10 we took charge! We defended well and, in a contest of few chances, took them when they came out way and that is very pleasing.”

A surface made all the more difficult with significant amounts of sand on it to combat recent rainfall, made life difficult in terms of any sort of passing game, something Town like to base their approach on.

The home side took the lead in the 16th minute when Town failed to clear a free-kick and the ball was tucked beyond Matt Slark making a debut appearance in the Vikings’ goal.

Just a quarter-of-an-hour after taking the lead Villa were reduced to ten men, but two minutes later numbers were restored to parity as Town lost Jamal Iddi to a straight red!

It was not until eight minutes into the second half that Town, who looked to have added an extra yard in their step from the restart, levelled with Tony Cox drilling a shot into the net.

The winning goal was one of genuine quality, and owed much to the never-say-die attitude of Rikki Pitter.

The striker chased what looked a lost cause, took the ball off a home defender before steadying himself and rifling the ball beyond a fully stretched Villa goalkeeper.

The win takes Town to 30 points for the season and, with eight games remaining before they kick their last ball in anger in the Monday, May 4 game at Tavistock, a top half finish in the table remains very much within their grasp.

Tomorrow (March 7), the Vikings’ travel to Brixham looking to complete a season’s league double after they beat the South Devon side 3-2 at Manstone Lane back on October 25.

Stunell says of the meeting with Brixham: “We robbed them at our place. There’s no escaping that one and I am still not sure how we won that one 3-2, and with 10 men too! They are a well organised side and we’ll need to be at our best to get anything from the game. That said I saw in the Villa win a real togetherness and resolve and I am confident that this group of players are going to keep on improving.”

Ash Small sits out the second of a three game suspension and so misses the trip to Brixham.

Town’s Reserve team had their home meeting with Colyton last Saturday postponed owing to a waterlogged Manstone Lane pitch. Tomorrow they head to Dawlish United. The Vikings’ third team went down 3-1 at Sandford and they return to Mid Devon tomorrow to take on Bickleigh.