DEVIZES Town bounced back from two defeats in a week to shatter high-flying Dawlish's eight-game unbeaten home record at Sandy Lane on Saturday.

Super strikes from Darren Tapper and Nick Mooney sandwiched Barry Flippance's tenth goal of the season for the visitors, who had been hammered 4-0 at home by Backwell United only four days previously.

The victory lifts Devizes into seventh position in the Screwfix Direct League Premier Division table.

The visitors stunned their fourth placed hosts by racing into a two-goal lead in 15 minutes.

Tapper thundered home a 35-yard piledriver on five minutes to break the deadlock and then top scorer Flippance combined with strike partner Simon Price to double the advantage ten minutes later.

Steve Blurton reduced arrears with a long-range effort midway through the half, but Devizes' two-goal lead was restored when Nick Mooney lobbed the home goalkeeper from 35-yards on 81 minutes.

Blurton scored his second in the fourth minute of injury time to set up a tense finale, and Devizes were forced to defend for a further nine minutes due to a couple of lengthy stoppages.

Devizes boss Brian Newlands challenged his inconsistent side to repeat the fighting spirit shown at Dawlish for the remainder of the season.

He said: "We did well. If we had battled half as well as that on Tuesday night against Backwell, it wouldn't have been 4-0.

"It just goes to show what can happen if we battle away and don't switch off. We are the kind of side who have to work hard for everything we get, that's the basic requirement for an average Western League side.

"When we work hard and get a goal in front, we look a different side. But it should be natural and that's the frustrating thing for me.

"I can't understand why the guys shouldn't want to work hard. We look a good side or an awful one. You always wonder whether it is the same group of players out there."

Newlands added: "It was a fantastic goal by Darren Tapper and no keeper on earth would have saved it. He won't score a better one even if he plays until he is 50."

The Devizes boss admitted he was staggered when the referee indicated he intended to play 13 minutes of added time at the end of the game.

Said Newlands: "I was going ballistic and just couldn't see where he got it from. They did have a bit of pressure, but we defended quite well."