Sidmouth Warriors Under-11s just failed to complete another extraordinary comeback as they went down by the odd goal in eleven to Central Redstar.

Previously this season the youngsters had earned the title ‘comeback kings’, but that was not the case this time as they left themselves with too much to do, trailing 5-1 at the halfway mark of their meeting with the Exeter-based side.

Jed Ionov-Flint’s neat finish was the only moment of joy in a very forgettable opening 30 minutes for the Warriors.

No one can doubt, though, the Warriors’ courage and fighting spirit. With sleeves rolled up for the second half, the boys raised their game several gears and quickly pulled a goal back, again with a calm finish by Ionov-Flint.

The goal galvanised the team and confidence raced through the ranks as chance after chance began to arrive, and be snapped up and, within a short space of time it was 5-4!

First a close-range Brad Hill strike and then an own goal a Tim Goody run and cross was met by Joe Ashby whose shot cannoned off the underside of the bar, bounced over the line and came out again!

The Warrior celebrations were cut short, however, when the goal was not given and the home side struck with a counter-attack that led to them going 6-4 up!

Sidmouth restarted the match two goals down when they all felt a re-start at 5-5 should have been the case!

However, this current Warriors team are not without courage and good temperament and, rather than dwell on what they felt was a footballing miscarriage of justice, they resumed their attacking play and were rewarded when Goody scored the game’s eleventh and final goal.