Barnstaple scraped home by a single point in the Boxing Day derby at Bideford.
A full-house of more than 1,400 spectators crammed into the King George V ground to watch one of the remaining games that take place on Boxing Day between neighbouring clubs.
Bradley Goaman, the Bideford team manager, said there were chances to win the game which were not taken.
“After we went 6-0 up in the first half – two Reece Pearn penalties for us – Barnstaple got back to 7-6 up at half time,” said Goaman.
“We felt the game was there to be won, even though Barnstaple are four divisions higher than we are, and threw everything we had at them in the second half. Getting past the Barnstaple defence was tough as they gave absolutely nothing away. It did not help that Rob Elliott, one of our best ball carriers, was not able to play, or that we lost Alex Priest to a harsh yellow card. Reece Pearn had two kickable penalties in the second half, both of which he missed.”
“When we had a third late in the game, we probably should have taken it, but we went for the penalty line-out in the corner and could not work it over. We matched them in most areas and came off at the end disappointed we did not win.”