BARNSTAPLE TOWN gained a surprise 3-2 win over Bideford in the Good Friday derby at Mill Road.

Substitute Stan Paxton grabbed the winner nine minutes from time, easing Barum's relegation fears with a superb result against their local rivals.

The sticky surface and swirling wind made for a scrappy encounter but Town will care little as they moved seven points clear of the bottom two.

Title favourites Bideford remain 15 points clear at the top but the result, and performance, will raise doubts ahead of their clash with Ilfracombe Town on Monday.

Recovering from an early strike from Biddy wing-back Nick Barker, the hosts went 2-1 ahead through Shane Tolley and new loan signing Eugenio Da Veiga.

Although Ellis Laight headed the equaliser before half-time, Paxton buried a freekick from Paul Quinn to give Barnstaple their first derby win over Bideford since Good Friday 2008.

There few signs the Robins would lose their 11-match unbeaten run when Barker chased onto searching pass from Matt Andrew to open the scoring on 17 minutes.

Cutting in from the right flank he drove low past Jamie Pow with the help of a deflection off Jamie Frickleton.

But Barum were level three minutes later when Ryan Turner won a foot race with Rob Francis.

Defender Francis got back to make a block but Turner rolled the ball to Tolley who rammed his shot into the roof of Ryan Draper's net.

Quinn's inswinging corners were a major threat and his delivery caused confusion as Da Veiga pounced to make it 2-1.

The Portuguese wing-back, on loan from Truro City, saw two efforts blocked, including one by his own player Turner, before gleefully smashing past Draper at the third attempt.

Both sides had trouble dealing with set plays and Bideford were level on 33 minutes after Ian Down's freekick was only partially cleared.

Matt Andrew volleyed across goal and while Ashley Yeoman's far-post effort was blocked by Frickleton, Laight nodded past Pow.

At that stage the league leaders would have been expected to step up a level, but home goalie Pow was rarely troubled during a second half high on endeavour but low on quality in the last third.

The industrious Turner almost escaped the attention of Bideford's back three, only to see his scuffed effort smothered by Draper with 15 minutes to go.

Paxton, still nursing an ankle injury, replaced Tim Watson in central midfield midway through the second half.

And Barum's top scorer was in the right place at the right time to seal a proud win for his team.

Fouled by Francis in the corner, he wondered into the box, forcing in the winner as Biddy failed to deal with another Quinn freekick.

It was a forgettable afternoon for Bideford's top scorer Kevin Squire,

Having struck twice against his former club in the 4-3 win on Boxing Day, this time he was a peripheral figure.

His replacement Jamie Densham had the Robins's one real opening as they chased the game, yet his side-foot effort was comfortably palmed away by Pow.

A spat between Turner and visiting defender Chris Brown saw both players pick up the game's first yellow cards in stoppage time.

And Brown was perhaps fortunate not to gain a second yellow moments later when he went through the back of Turner.

Referee Brett Huxtable, who had a decent game and tried to let the action flow, was playing an advantage at the time.

Sean Joyce's team saw their last opening disappear when Down floated a freekick to the far post and sliding Francis was unable to keep his effort on target.

The final whistle was greeted with delight on the home bench, particularly from manager Owen Pickard who gained his first win in four attempts against his old side.

He will hope for a similar effort when Barum go to Dawlish Town on Easter Monday while Joyce will need to raise his team for another derby test, against Ilfracombe Town at the Sports Ground.

Barnstaple Town: Jamie Pow, Eugenio Da Veiga, Richard Elston (Michael Broome 74), Jamie Frickleton, Paul Quinn, Steve Shore, Tim Watson (Stan Paxton 63), Matt Deakin (Giles Daniel 77), Ricky Marinaro, Shane Tolley, Ryan Turner.

Bideford: Ryan Draper, Nick Barker, Ben Wood, Chris Brown, Rob Francis, Darren Hawkings, Ian Down, Ellis Laight, Matt Andrew, Kevin Squire (Jamie Densham 80), Ashley Yeoman. Subs not used: Matt Hockley, Clay Bond.