Sidmouth Town were edged out by the narrowest of margins when they visited University IV for a Fresha League Division Two match.

With four changes to the starting line-up and a few compensatory positional changes it was small wonder Sidmouth started tentatively!

The students were the first to fashion any goal action, but were thwarted by the alert Jack Burgess in the Sidmouth goal. Burgess was playing his first game for nine months, but showing no signs of ring-rust!

As the Vikings grew into the game they started to threaten the hosts’ goal. Rich Johnson fired over when well-placed while Aidy Parr caused problems throughout down the right flank.

Midway through the half Parr tucked away skipper Anthony Griffiths’s free-kick only to see the linesman’ flag raised to rule the ‘goal’ out!

The second half saw more of the same high work-rate and team ethic from both sides, but no real clear-cut chances were fashioned at either end of the pitch.

Will Jenkins and Gary Dixon combined well down the left flank and Man of the Match Parr continued to look the most likely to conjure up a goal, but a swift break from the hosts and a miss-hit clearance by the visitor’s led to the ball landing at the grateful feet of a student striker and he swept it past the stranded Burgess.

With 10 minutes remaining the visitors continued to push for the equaliser, but, for the first time this season, a goal was not forthcoming and the final whistle was followed by disappointment for a Town side that, at the very least, deserved a share of the spoils.

One thing that shone through in the game was a far greater commitment, attitude and team ethic from the Vikings and that will put them in good stead for the second half of their campaign which starts on Saturday when they visit Cullompton Rangers Reserves.