Axminster Town suffered a 3-1 home defeat to much-fancied Elmore, but Tigers joint boss Josh Stunell was left feeling the home side had lost a great opportunity to become the first team to defeat the Tiverton-based Eagles this season.

Stunell explained saying: “We missed six or seven gilt-edged chances and John (joint boss Johnny Hurford] and I were left thinking after the game that they [Elmore] certainly ‘got away with one’ on their visit to Tiger Way.

Town were quickly into their stride and spurned a great chance as early as the second minute with Aaron Daniels the culprit!

Further chances went begging before the visitors took the lead and there was an element of fortune about it as a log cross was floated into the area where no home player challenged and the Elmore centre forward had a free header to put his side one up.

Elmore went on to score twice more, but the Tigers did get one of their own with Tony Pinder netting his seventh of the season to date.

Stunell said: “It was a great lesson for us as to what happens if you miss big chances and then ship soft goals. No matter who the opposition, you simply cannot afford to commit such errors at both ends and hope to get a result and you certainly cannot do it against a side as clinical as Elmore who, on the day, had three chances, and buried them all!”

There were plenty of positives for the Town management team to take from the game.

Stunell said: “Tony [Pinder] netting a seventh before the season is even a full month old is a real plus and, if we speak candidly it was not his best performance and yet he still got on the score sheet and that’s a big plus for us!.”

He continued: “Another plus is the fact that we opened up Elmore numerous times and that augers well for the games ahead when, hopefully, we’ll be far more clinical with out finishing.”

On Saturday (September 8), Town are set to travel to Teignmouth (3pm). Sam Dibling, who missed the game against Elmore, returns to the side.