THERE was an overwhelming feeling of frustration for Devizes Town joint-boss Darran Walters as his side emerged from their two outings this week with nothing to show for their efforts.

On Saturday, Walters and Justin Webster’s side hosted fearsome Toolstation League First Division title-favourites Barnstaple Town and despite playing around 65 minutes with ten men after Ryan Trowbridge was sent off, a determined Devizes only slipped to a 1-0 defeat.

Then, on Tuesday, Andy Brien’s first half goal put the Nursteed Road outfit a goal up at Radstock Town but they conceded twice in the second period and suffered their second loss in four days.

But following his team’s performances, Walters was in no doubt that Devizes didn’t deserve to end their week empty-handed.

“I think it’s quite frustrating really because we deserved more than we got. Maybe that wasn’t winning the games but we could have picked up some points,” said the Devizes joint-manager.

“On Saturday, we set up 4-5-1 to try and frustrate Barnstaple because they’re a really good side. But we had Ryan Trowbridge sent off after 25 minutes for what was a allegedly a professional foul.

“We thought that he got the ball and that it was a really harsh but even though we were down to ten men, that seemed to bring us together and they all gave me 110 per cent.

“They only scored with about 20 minutes to go and we could have got a point from it.

“Then on Tuesday, we were missing our top-scorer, Robbie Mitchell, and had to go with a 16-year-old up front, which was my lad, Jamie Walters.

“It’s hard for someone 16 to play up front on his own but his shot came back and led to our goal.

“We were good in the first half but we weren’t so good in the second half, and that was frustrating because it was another game we could have got something from.

“It’s just little things, like fitness and concentration. We’re still missing that 30-goals-a-season man but we’ve blooded a lot of youngsters and we’ll keep doing that before the end of the season.”

This weekend, Devizes host Corsham Town in the first of three local derbies in a row.