LYME Regis Reserves moved into second place in the Devon and Exeter Division Three with a 2-0 win away to Hemyock despite fielding a bare 11 and no recognised goalkeeper

Once again the condition of the pitch did not suit Lyme's possesion-based tactics, but in the end they created enough chances to run away with the game.

As always the Seasiders started on the front foot, keeping possession and moving the ball well, which was increasingly difficult as the weather turned. The side worked hard and created good moments of attacking play, but nothing clear cut clear cut, which has been the pattern for a few weeks now.

Lyme had a few half-chances and some dangerous set-pieces and eventually one of these paid off when Ryan Fifer attempted to catch the keeper off-guard, placing a free-kick into the bottom corner, which produced a good save from the Hemyock keeper. But skipper Alex Rowe was following in well and headed in the ball from the keeper's save to open up a 1-0 lead.

The half-time talk revolved around exploiting the spaces wide of the back three and switching the ball quickly to stretch them. Lyme started the second half with a lot more purpose and really worked the Hemyock defence. creating chance after chance. and eventually the pressure told when Louis Rinaldi picked up the ball on the edge of the box and fired it past the keeper to make it 2-0.

Although the game became stretched after the break and Lyme's team-play declined, they soon regained control but failed to extend their lead.

It was great to see Fred Parsons back in a Lyme shirt and one run in particular in the second half, when he controlled a ball cleared by Robbie Fowler from goal, ran the entire Hemyock team into their box, only to see his shot saved by the Hemyock keeper.

It wasn't a vintage performance by the Reserves but stand-in Robbie Fowler had little to do all game as Lyme controlled play until the final whistle.

A special mention goes to Robbie Fowler for taking the keeper's gloves again, a role he's taken many times for both the Reserves and the first team and never lets them down.

The two full-backs, Ben Bowditch and Darius Pickering, were brilliant and Alex Rowe in centre midfield was again dominant throughout.