Lyme make hard work of it

Chard United 1 Lyme Regis 2

LYME should have won by a mile, and had enough chances to have done so. Indeed, it is hard to comprehend just how the Seasiders managed to come away with the narrowest of wins against the worst side they have met this season.

They made hard work of this one at times but any other result would have been an injustice.

Bottom of the table Chard, who had shipped 63 league goals before this game, rode some incredible luck.

But they were aided and abetted by some woeful Lyme finishing and an inspired performance by the enigmatic United keeper Danny Glentworth whose spectacular shot stopping was in sharp contrast to his uncertain handling.

Lyme, playing with all the swagger of championship contenders, rarely gave Chard a sniff at goal in the first half, and were even more dominant after the break when the home team defended in depth, hoping to hang on for a draw.

Wes Dowell gave Lyme the lead after eight minutes, ghosting through to loop a header from a Guy Cossins free kick past a hesitant Glentworth caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.

Luke Reed, in good form these days, forced Glentworth into as flying save on 15 minutes, and the keeper rose to the occasion again soon after, beating away a fierce drive from Ben Whittington.

Lyme keeper Chris Higgs, just about the most under employed man on the pitch, was stirred into action on 30 minutes when Chard mounted a rare incursion and set Keith Tovey free down the middle.

The striker shaped to shoot, took too long and was robbed by the fast advancing glove man.

The shapeless home team, whose poor delivery out of defence put them in trouble all afternoon, notched only their 11th league of the season five minutes before the interval through Jeffrey Stone who latched onto the end of a left wing corner to nod the ball down past Higgs from close range.

The Seasiders, who faced no threat whatsoever from a side with no offensive intent in the second period, ran the show in every department, enjoying incredible time and space.

They should have gone ahead in the 46th minute when Lee Cleal ballooned the ball over the top from just a few yards before Reed again brought the best out in Glentworth.

Raid after raid was launched on the Chard goal but it remained in tact until the 70th minute, having survived goal line scrambles, thrashes from outside the box, panic and some desperate sliced clearances.

Glentworth, who seemed to mesmerise the Lyme attack into hitting the ball straight at him, was inevitably beaten by Joel Gostling who came on off the subs' bench to crack a searing winning cross shot.

Lyme Regis: Higgs, King, Clark, Edwards, Reed (Thirlwell 72 mins), White, Cleal (Gostling 62 mins), Whittington, Cossens, Hitchcock (Hoole 67 mins), Dowell.