Sidmouth Raiders 1, Sidmouth Warriors 3 This was the third Sidmouth Under-12 derby of the season, and from the start it was clear it would be the closest, writes Alex Spalding.

The Warriors started shakily and the Raiders were stronger on the ball and swifter into the tackle.

It was not long before the benefits of Warriors’ guest coach Craig Badcock’s pre-match routine began to show!

Adopting a simplified passing game, they claimed control and took the lead with a goal of quality. Jack Miller’s pace was too much for the raiders’ defenders and he was hauled down and James Emmett slotted the resultant penalty.

Ben Plowden was next to test the brave and busy Raiders’ keeper Oran Bramble before Miller played a sweet pass through to Jordan Watts whose instinctive finish doubled the Warriors advantage.

If the first half had belonged to the Warriors, the start of the second period had a very different look about it! Raiders seized the early control with Ben Goodier and Max Peacock particularly industrious and inventive in midfield.

In a delightful move, the best the Raiders served up in the contest, Thomas Moore played a great ball to Luke Spiller who centred for Louis Adey and his finish gave Warriors impressive glovesman Jack Syradd no chance.

The Warriors now had to dig in against the resurgent Raiders, and dig in they did!

Truman, Shorthouse and Ashby made countless important tackles to disrupt their opponents’ play. The Warriors hunger for the ball gradually got them into a more offensive mode.

With 30 seconds to go they had an edge-of-the-area free-kick, and, instead of powering the ball towards the wall, James Emmett played a visionary ball into space where it was met by Louis Spalding who finished with aplomb to put the game out of the Raiders’ reach.

As ever, a high quality, exciting match between two hungry sides - well done lads!