Any hopes that Ivybridge could force their way back into the game after the interval were dashed within seven mins of the restart when some sloppy defending presented Dorothy with the opportunity to make it 3-0.

Ivybridge deserved some credit for battling back to reduce the arrears with a goal from Jordan Ewing in the 58^th minute. The match might have progressed differently if Ivybridge had taken advantage of another scoring opportunity shortly afterwards but substitute Connor Rush saw his close-range effort saved by visiting goalkeeper Jack Arthur.

It was left for Dorothy to settle things when he completed his hat-trick with a headed goal in the 76^th minute.

A disappointing afternoon for Ivybridge was complete in the closing stages when skipper Scott Pocock was substituted after succumbing to an illness which had made him a doubtful starter for the match.

Manager Darren Stewart explained: “Scott has been away and picked up a sickness bug. It was touch and go whether he was going to start. At nine o’clock he was not in the squad, but by 12 o’clock we said we would assess the situation when he got to the ground.

“We hoped we would get 45 or 60 minutes out of him and, in all fairness to him, he battled his way through. But the in last 10 to 15 minutes he could not carry on and we had to make the substitution. He will be fine for next week.”

Reflecting on the game, Stewart paid tribute to Crediton, who are second in the East Division table, only one point behind leaders Okehampton.

“I have a lot of respect for Crediton,” said Stewart.

“They try to play the right way. They have players who are well coached through academy systems. They were sharper than us today.

“Games are won and lost in both boxes with big moments in the game. They took theirs and we did not take ours.”

Stewart took some encouragement from his team’s performance, adding: “There were certain aspects of the game I was really pleased with but, obviously, areas that we need to improve.

“Four-one sounds a convincing result but there are things we can take positives from. I was disappointed with the final outcome but it is important we take what we did well today into the next game and improve on the areas that were our undoing today.

“Goals change games. They took theirs and scored at the right time. I thought at 2-0 we would get ourselves back into the game. But we gave the ball away and we were punished for it.

“Three-nil usually indicates game over at a decent level of football so I was proud of the way the boys came back once the third one went in. We scored and had a gilt-edged chance to make it 3-2 with 25 minutes to go. I think if that had gone in it’s a different game but we did not take it. They took their chance and that was it - game over.”

Next up for Ivybridge is another Saturday home game, against Teignmouth, who are seventh in the table and won a penalty shoot-out at Buckland in the Devon St Luke’s Cup during the week.

Stewart says: “Teignmouth had a great result in the week in the cup against Buckland. We have had them watched and they are a really good side.

“We are in the business end of the season now and we have got to pick up results when we can.”