​HOPES that the Mill Road faithful would see an improvement from Barnstaple Town were dashed as they slumped to a desperately disappointing defeat to Radstock Town this afternoon.

Barum had returned home amid a three-match unbeaten away run.

But in familiar surroundings they soon slipped back into their old habits and suffered the worst of their five home defeats in the Toolstation Premier Division this season.

Radstock’s 5-3 win lifted them out of the relegation zone and level on points with Barnstaple.

Reverting to a three-man defence, with recent signing Andrew Frost at sweeper, Barnstaple’s tendency to make defensive errors re-emerged in the eighth minute.

A miskick looped high in the box and after the ball bounced, Radstock striker Liam Watson was free to strike a half-volley under goalkeeper David Painter.

The visitors went 2-0 up in the 19th minute when Painter got nowhere near Nathan Flower’s left-wing corner and Barry Sandquest headed in at the near post.

Frustratingly for Barnstaple they already looked to be heading for defeat despite showing they were capable of opening up the Radstock defence.

Matt Deakin bustled into the area and had a shot blocked, then Stan Paxton beat Radstock keeper Gary Stevens to a cross but put his header over.

Radstock made it 3-0 on 37 minutes when Flower breezed past three challenges and slotted the ball into the bottom corner.

Again Barnstaple strung together some passes on the wet pitch and Kevin Darch slid in Shane Tolley, only for Stevens to save with his legs.

They had better luck four minutes before the break when wing-back Tom Moody played in Paxton on the left of the area and he took a touch before prodding past Stevens.

The home side were furious two minutes later when they thought they had pulled the deficit back to 3-2, only for Ian Patchett’s finish from Tolley’s superb diagonal pass to be ruled out for offside.

That was one of many decisions by the officials that infuriated the home fans in a crowd of 82 — Barnstaple’s lowest of the season — but it wasn’t so much the men in black as the men in red who were to blame for Radstock’s 3-1 half-time lead.

Barum did manage to make it 3-2 after 11 minutes of the second half. Stevens dropped a high ball, Paxton reacted quickly to take it round him and then pulled the ball back for Jordan Charran to score.

The home defence was caught out again on 58 minutes when Paul Farrell was clear on the left, he drove into the area but Painter did well to deflect his shot out for a corner.

Radstock then killed the game off with two goals in five minutes.

On 75 minutes, Sandquest cut in from the left and slipped the ball between two defenders for Watson to net his second goal.

Substitute George Pawley got the fifth, tapping in Flower’s cross from the right.

Paxton should have struck back immediately but bundled the ball wide from a Darch cross when it looked easier to score.

Barnstaple did manage to get a third goal in the first minute of stoppage-time when Tolley fired a loose ball into the corner, but there were no celebrations.

Barnstaple Town: David Painter, Ian Patchett (Ryan Turner 63), Tom Moody, Andrew Frost, Paul Quinn, Steve Shore, Matt Deakin, Kevin Darch, Stan Paxton, Shane Tolley, Jordan Charran (Sam Box 77). Sub not used: Matt Hare.

Radstock Town: Gary Stevens, Ben Hancock, Josh Marsh, Stewart Bryant, Jack Metcalf, Paul Farrell (George Pawley 61), Barry Sandquest (Daniel Flower 77), Billy Robinson(Jordan Townsley 82), Tom Pawley, Nathan Flower, Liam Watson.

See Thursday’s Journal for reaction and photos from Barnstaple’s defeat.