TORPOINT Athletic maintained their position at the summit of the table with a hard-fought victory at The Mill against in-form Sidmouth Town on Saturday afternoon.

The hosts, who are now undefeated in their first 15 games, scored two quickfire goals in the second half, the first a sublime free-kick from man-of-the-match Elliott Crawford, before in-form striker Curtis Damerell fired home to seal the three points.

In the opening 20 minutes of the first half, both sides cancelled each other out in a midfield battle, with both sides trying to find a way through.

The first chance came midway through the half from the visitors when Will Collins broke clear and found himself one-on-one with goalkeeper Ryan Rickard, who got down low to make a brave save at Collins’ feet.

It was soon another heart-stopping moment for home supporters as Dan Western shot just wide of the near post from 18 yards.

On the half-hour mark the hosts grew into the game.

Damerell put through Joe Rapson following a fine touch and he laid the ball on to Sam Pearson who saw his effort blocked by the visiting defence.

With five minutes remaining of the first half, Torpoint’s Dave Barker crossed the ball to find Sam Morgan on the edge of the area, but his left-footed drive was brilliantly tipped around the post by visiting keeper Elliot Driver.

Torpoint were enjoying their best spell of the half and in the final minute went close again.

Freddie Chapman sent a superb 50-yard pass to Rapson who brought the ball down in the area before sending a shot narrowly over the crossbar.

But the hosts took the momentum into the second half and were ahead within five minutes as Crawford’s curled free-kick from wide on the right fooled the Sidmouth defence and Driver before nestling inside the far post.

Two minutes later Darren Hicks saw curling effort from distance just over the crossbar, but on 57 minutes the Cornishmen doubled their lead.

Pearson played in Damerell to curl a lob into the back of the net past Driver from 18 yards.

On the 70th minute the hosts could of have extended their lead as the visitors look rattled. A James Rowe shot was well-saved by Driver’s feet, but the loose ball fell to Damerell who saw his effort just go over the bar.

At this stage it was all Torpoint and 15 minutes from time, Rowe broke clear, only for Driver to block well.

Torpoint’s final chance of the afternoon arrived with five to play as Crawford’s corner was curled towards goal which Driver punched away. It only fell to Hicks, but his effort was tipped over the bar.

To compound Sidmouth’s afternoon, they had to play the final five minutes of injury-time with 10 men as Isaac Furness was sin-binned.

Torpoint Athletic are next in action this Wednesday night as they make the short trip across the border to Ivybridge Town in the first-round of the Les Phillips Cup (7.45pm).

TORPOINT ATHLETIC: Ryan Rickard; Dave Barker, Fred Chapman, Sam Morgan (James Rowe, 63), Callum O’Brien, Elliott Crawford (capt), Sam Pearson (Tom Payne, 58), Owen Haslam, Curtis Damerell, Joe Rapson (Kieran Edworthy, 63), Darren Hicks. Subs not used: Gary Hird, Callum Martindale.

Torpoint Athletic man-of-the-match: Elliott Crawford.