Devon & Exeter League Premier division

Okehampton Argyle 2

Sidmouth Town 0

SIDMOUTH Town?s winning streak came to an abrupt end at Simmons Park on Saturday, but only after an almighty battle.

Both teams must be congratulated for their scintillating display, and on this form neither need worry about being in the relegation zone at the end of the season.

Argyle have to thank their back four and goalkeeper for keeping a clean sheet ? their tackling and covering throughout the game was first class, brilliantly led by Mike Vernon in the centre.

Early pressure came from Sidmouth, who forced a couple of quick corners, which were dealt with competently by Sean Sandercock in Argyle?s goal.

After 20 minutes and against the run of play Argyle broke from deep and a through-ball to Adam Mortimer saw him coast past a defender and shoot for the bottom corner. The ball was helped on by a touch from Steve Williams, but he was ruled offside by the linesman.

On the half hour an attack down the left flank by Sidmouth saw a cross-cum shot look certain to curl into the top corner of the net but Sandercock pushed the ball over the bar with an acrobatic save.

Entering the last minute of the first half, Mortimer again broke through the middle, forcing the keeper to palm his shot out for a corner.

Mortimer got his head to the corner kick, sending the ball back across the goal where Steve Williams was waiting to stab the ball home.

Happy to be a goal up at half-time, Argyle also had the slight advantage of playing down the slope in the second half.

An easy break down the left by Robbie Sandercock in the 50th minute saw him brought down just inside the penalty box when attempting to cut inside a defender.

Stuart Cann, who missed his last penalty kick, stepped up to make sure of this one, sending the keeper the wrong way with a powerful drive.

One controversial decision the referee had to make late on was when Sandercock rushed outside the box to challenge for a through-ball, only for it to hit him on the arm.

The referee gave a direct free kick for accidental handball, which Argyle?s defenders managed to clear.

This victory moves Argyle up four places in the league and with another home match this week against Buckland Athletic, kick off 3pm, a chance to move into the top half of the table. The only worry for the manager is whether Kevin Gill?s ankle injury and James Williams? leg injury will be fit.