Stitch2Print Devon & Exeter League: Sidmouth Town 2nds 3, Wellington Reserves 2

An 89th-minute goal ended our Reserves’ seven-game unbeaten run yesterday (Saturday).

It was another away day for the Tangerines as they played Sidmouth 2nds, a team just one point below them in the table.

Wellington could not have asked for a better start as they went 1-0 up on 15 minutes when Ben Evett played a free kick into the box and Sam Bryant (pictured) swept the ball home from close range.

With 30 minutes on the clock, Sidmouth got back into the game when a long throw was flicked on down the left wing the home player raced into the box and crossed from the byline.

As the ball went behind all the onrushing players, it fell to a Sidmouth player unmarked who hit it first time past keeper Charlie Hawkings.

Five minutes later, the home team went in front when the winger curled a shot/cross from the edge of the box which curled over Hawkings and into the goal.

To make things worse, Sam Bryant was forced off as he jarred his knee trying to block the cross with player-manager Mark Owen coming on and Connor Noble moving to centre.

Wellington thought they had equalised just before half-time only to see the home linesman flag Connor Noble offside as he scored.

The second half was very even with both teams pushing for goals and it was Wellington who found the equaliser with 20 minutes left.

Dylan Groves was tripped as he raced into the box and up stepped Ollie Nott to send an unstoppable penalty into the roof of the net to make it 2-2.

Credit to both teams as they tried to force a winner, and a draw would have been a fair result, but the hosts scored the winner in the 89th minute.

When a free kick was swung into the box, Hawkings came racing out to punch clear but instead the ball fell to a home player to knock it into the empty net from close range.

With the game deep into injury time, Wellington should have equalised when the ball fell to Sam Poole.

His goalbound shot was blocked on the line and, as it dropped Connor Pengelly, he could only sweep it against to keeper for what proved to be the last chance of the game.

Team: Charlie Hawkings, Connor Noble, Dylan Groves, Sam Bryant, Tom Davies, Sam Poole, Ollie Nott, Ollie Ackland, Ben Evett, Connor Pengelly, Jack Bryant. Substitutes: Mark Owen, Luke Perry, Elijah Hillier (used), James Beatty (not used).