Under league rules, as the opposition was a development team, the result will show as a scoreless draw. Despite this, an ultimately comfortable win by the most emphatic margin the 3rds have managed so far this season was a welcome result.

Chard's first meaningful attack five minutes into the game produced the opening goal, Flynn Bowie making a surging run into the D down the right before pulling the ball back into the middle where Nathan Bradshaw steered the ball into the corner of the net with a first time shot. The lead could have been two or three goals but for the reactions of the Sidmouth keeper before Alan Cheffey struck to double the lead in the 14th minute.

For all their early dominance, Chard first half performance in particular was littered with wayward and weak passing, a tendency to want to play the ball forwards rather than using the width of the pitch and too many attempts to hit and run through Sidmouth's defenders. The visitors had troubled Chard's defence little before the 20 minute mark when they halved the deficit with a well worked move. After keeper Cian Brown made a fine stop to keep out another Sidmouth effort, Chard's stuttering performance was given a boost before half time when Bowie himself scored from close range to make it 3-1.

Two goals within the first six minutes of the second half put Chard fully in control. Firstly, good approach play by captain Gary Wheaton at the top of the D set up Bradshaw to tuck away his second goal. From the restart, Bradshaw stole possession and his pass put Reuben Willis away on a solo run, finishing with a shot of such power the keeper hardly had a chance to react. Bradshaw had two further efforts saved and Cheffey spurned a chance to add to his tally when set up from a penalty corner by Ben Berryman. Alfie Baker-Pike got into some great positions in the D but keeper and defensive scrambling denied him the chance to add his name to the scoresheet.

Sidmouth's young inside forwards were willing to run throughout but Chard's back line with Rich Switzer and Steve Mahoney in the middle stifled most of their attacking efforts before a shot on goal. Keeper Brown nevertheless was called into action a couple of times to deny the visitors on occasion when the defensive shield was pierced.

Thanks to umpires Trevor Goss and Claire Winter