MEASURE how far Sidmouth Town have come this season by remembering that last term they had to apply for re-election to the Premier division of the Devon and Exeter League.

MEASURE how far Sidmouth Town have come this season by remembering that last term they had to apply for re-election to the Premier division of the Devon and Exeter League. Now, after a storming second half to the season, they lie in sixth place with four games to play. The next of those is a clash with University, who are languishing in the bottom half of the league, on SaturdayIt is a big game for the Vikings who earned a point from a midweek clash away to third-from-top Bickleigh. Draw specialists Sidmouth - whose manager Paul Ashford is now ruing the missed points from some of those early games - took the lead with a goal from Rory Weal. Weal has been at Sidmouth, transferring from Honiton, for six weeks but has been stuck on the bench, such has been the strength of the side. Bickleigh replied by converting a penalty which, says Ashford, "on nine out of 10 occasions wouldn't have been given. It was for arms around a centre half - if you watch TV they are always virtually wearing each other's shirts!" Bickleigh went ahead when the striker lost his marker and caught the keeper stranded. Alex Raistrick, who is scoring a goal a game at the moment - came to the rescue with a great left footer to the bottom corner which levelled the scores, 2-2. Ashford said: "The lads are really looking like a team now. We are as good away as we are at home, even if we are draw experts!" The action was far from over as keeper Luke Ashford made a great save from a free kick in the second half and, at the other end, striker Chris Duchenski missed a penalty late in the game. "He got a lot of stick but, other than the penalty, he had a great game," said Ashford, who was also impressed with Mark Badcock - 'if he was 10 years younger he would be first on the team sheet every week. He is really on form at the moment. It is all going well. If I have 15 players each week who make it hard for me to choose a team then I am happy," he added.The Reserves, struggling in Senior 2, lost 4-1 to Honiton on Saturday, Chris Duchenski scoring.