Sidmouth Warriors Under-8s are enjoying an excellent season to date, winning the majority of their matches and only occasional succumbing to defeat.

Their most recent matches resulted in three wins and one defeat.

That reversal came against St Martins when the Exminster-based outfit edged the Warriors out by the odd goal in five.

Warriors had gone into the game with just five players and without their regular glovesman.

Despite the odds being stacked against them they took an early lead with Lucas Vickery slamming home a penalty awarded after he had been fouled in the area.

St Martins hit back with a good finish and would, surely then have eased into the lead but for some tremendous saves by stand-in goalkeeper Lucas O’Connor. The saves took on even greater significance when Ethan Isaac restored the Warriors lead.

It was then that things began to go against the team and tired legs came to the fore with St Martins first levelling and then wining the game with a terrific long-range strike.

Warriors were quickly back to winning ways when they then played St Martins Spurs who they saw off 7-1.

Lucas Vickery cracked a first-half hat-trick and then turned provider for Alastair Mounoury to make it 4-0. Mounoury returned the favour – providing an assist for Vickery to net his fourth and, after the Spurs had struck a consolation, a double from Lucas O’Connor – both goals being set up by Ethan Isaac – completed the scoring. In this game Stepan Hovera was outstanding in defence, but the player of the morning was goal-machine Lucas Vickery!

The next time Warriors were in action was for a double header at Tiverton where they first took on, and beat, Twyford Spartans with another 7-1 score line.

The team showed no ill effects from the hour-long car journey to Mid Devon, scoring inside 30 seconds through Lucas O’Connor!

The home side levelled, but the lead was swiftly restored with Lucas Vickery the scorer. Further goals from O’Connor and Mounoury saw Warriors into the half-time interval with a 4-1 advantage.

After the break Vickery netted his second before Jamie White rifled a superb goal after Ethan Isaac unselfishly played him through. Isaac then served up another slick assist for Lucas O’Connor to complete his hat-trick and round off the scoring.

Warriors then took on Twyford Gladiators who proved to be a tough side to break down.

However, the build-up of pressure eventually told and Lucas O’Connor laid the ball off for Lucas Vickery to thump the ball home from outside the area. Soon after Vickery netted again, this time thanks to some fine approach play from Mounoury and Isaac.

It was not all one-way and Gladiators came back strongly only to fine Stepan Hovera in charge of the Warriors defence and Jamie White made a number of good saves to ensure the team racked up a clean sheet success.

The final Warriors goal came from a powerful free-kick struck by Mounoury.

Lucas O’Connor was named the Player of the Day from the visit to Tiverton.