LYME Regis first team moved into the top five of the Devon and Exeter League Premier division with a sold 3-2 victory over Okehampton Argyle 2nds yesterday (Saturday).

Conditions underfoot were not ideal for fast-flowing football, but the visitors had no antidote to the Seasiders inter-passing play, especially in the first half when they failed to convert numerous chances.

Lyme went straight on the attack right from the kick-off and could have opened their account within the first minute when the Oke defence managed to clear a goalmouth scramble.

It was all Lyme in the opening exchanges, although keeper Chris Higgs was called on to make a diving save in a rare attack on the home goal.

The inevitable opener came in the 20th minute from a superb inter-passing movement down the right which started with a Higg's clearance and ended in a clinical finish from ace striker Joe Bond netting his 230th goal for the Seasiders.

With the Davey Fort pitch deteriorating into no more than a mud patch in places, Lyme were still able to put together flowing movements which created scoring opportunities. In particular Mark Bailey's sorties down the left put the Okehampton defence under continual pressure.

Another good passing movement ended in Bailey skying the ball high over the goal and the Fred Parsons side-footed the ball wide with the goal at his mercy after Bailey and Bond combined well to provide the chance.

In a rare attack from Okehampton the ball was closeted from the Lyme goal line but rebounded off a defender and cannoned into the net, giving Higgs no chance, to make it 1-1, much against the run of play.

After a long-range shot from Bailey was parried by the keeper and cleared, the Lyme players returned to the dressing room wondering why they weren't at least four goals to the good.

The Seasiders continued to dominate in the seend half although an early chance went to Okehampton with a shot that forced a diving save from Higgs.

The breakthrough came in the 50th minute when a glorious corner from Rob Fellingham was met by Ben Turner who out jumped the Oke defence to head home and make it 2-1.

Harvey Brimicombe came close from a Callum Garrett cross but at the other end Alex Rowe brought down an Okehampton attacker in the box enabling them to equalise from the penalty spot in the 67th minute.

Lyme pulled out all the stops to secure the winner in a game they deserved to win and it came in the 82nd minute. A long throw-in from substitute Jack Lamb-Wilson was headed across the goal by Josh Daines for Joe Bond to nod home.

Minutes later it could have been 4-2 when the bar came to the rescue with scorching successive shots from Ben Turner and Fred Parsons ricocheting off the woodwork.

Credit must go to Okehampton who although outplayed for much of the time never gave up and made the most of their rare breakaways.