Crediton United suffered a 6-2 thrashing at home to Alphington on Saturday in a result Kirton boss Warren Patmore described as ‘a bit of a shock’.

The match – which Alphas boss John Moore last week claimed was crucial to both clubs’ ambitions – was decided by a combination of Aidan Barratt’s treble and Richard Groom’s red card.

Patmore refused to read too much into the result, although he did concede his side needed to cut out costly mistakes.

“I think it was definitely a bit of a shock really,” he said. “Nobody is crying about it though.

“We have lost three points and that is it. We still have to play Alphington at their place this season so hopefully we can get three points there.

“We made silly mistakes and they cost us badly. Tuesday night’s game against Launceston (a 2-0 Throgmorton Cup defeat) was the best I have seen us play over 60 or 70 minutes in a long, long time.

“We still have 15 games left to play, which is more than most teams, and I am sure every other team in the division will win, lose or draw in that period.”

The visitors wasted no time in taking the game to Kirton, and they were 2-0 up inside 12 minutes, before Ben Shephard scored from the spot.

But three goals in 10 second-half minutes, plus Groom’s dismissal for dissent, effectively sealed the result, before another Alphas strike was cancelled out by Shephard’s free-kick.