MANAGER Lee Britchford says his players will be working hard in training this week to try to ensure they return to form at league newcomers Bradford Town on Saturday (3pm).

This follows the Ashes’ shock hammering in South Devon which saw them knocked off the top of the table after starting the campaign with five straight victories before the midweek home defeat by Barnstaple.

Nathan Cooper gave the home side a 10th minute lead and Louis Spalding doubled their lead in the 29th minute.

In the second half Cooper (59) and Spalding (67) added their second goals and Finn Rooke (76) completed the rout.

Britchford said: “We’ll dust ourselves down. We’ve got a tough trip to Bradford next week and we’ll prepare well in training.

“Hopefully with a fresh mindset we can put in a good performance.”

He went on: “It was a really bad day at the office on Saturday. The result was justified, I don’t think we really competed for most of the game.

“I was really disappointed with the performance considering the levels we’ve hit so far this season.

“I’m not going to use the excuse that they’re a young group because we didn’t get the basics right. Unfortunately that’s what caused the result to go the way it did.”

He added: “Full credit to Sidmouth. They made it very difficult for us. They have a really good side and I think they will cause teams a lot of problems.”

SALTASH UNITED: Tyler Coombes; Alfie Wotton (capt, Max Everall 55), Jack Jefford (Joe Preece, 69), Ben Goulty, Hayden Greening (Tom Huyton, 69), Charlie Elkington, Kieran O’Melia, Fin Wilkes, Deacon Thomson (Owen Davies, 76), Reece Thomson, Freddie Tolcher (Jayden Gilbert, 46).