Sidmouth Warriors Under-12s entertained a Crediton Youth side that they shared the spoils with, a 1-1 draw seeing Warriors move up to fourth in the table.

Crediton posed a real challenge as they had started the season well, but Warriors, themselves in fine form, began the game confidently keeping possession of the ball well, working it crisply through midfield launching a number of incisive counter-attacks.

Warriors took the lead when they were awarded a free-kick just outside the box and Ben Elsom stepped up to curl a trademark strike up and over the goalkeeper and into the roof of the net to take a deserved lead.

Warriors, encouraged by the goal, went in search of a second with Finn Upsher making a terrific run at the end of which he crossed for Michal Bielawski to fire home, only for the ‘goal’ to be chalked off as it had apparently crossed the bye line before reaching Bielawski.

Toward the end of the first half a lovely passing move ended with Warriors having a shot slide agonisingly wide.

The second half saw Crediton up the tempo and they levelled in the early exchanges. Warriors were soon on the front foot and, led superbly by skipper Callum French they began to play some inspired counter-attacking football.

Man of the Match Thomas Nicholls threw himself into every challenge as Warriors dominated the middle third and a number of chances were created.

It was not all one-way and, when Crediton attacked, Warriors glovesman Antony Nita was a match for anything thrown at him, despite the difficult slippery conditions.

As the game reached the latter stages Warriors stepped up a gear and Upsher, Elsom and Bielawski all went close. However, the visiting glovesman was equal to the best of the Warriors efforts as an exciting game ended all square.