SHAFTESBURY TOWN RES 3

LYME REGIS 1

LYME Regis exited the Dorset Senior Trophy second round with a meagre 3-1 loss at Shaftesbury Town Reserves.

In a nightmare start, Lyme went 1-0 down inside the first minute but the Seasiders were soon back on level terms.

Shaftesbury could not clear a corner sufficiently and the ball landed directly at Fred Parsons who lashed past the Rockies’ goalkeeper to equalise.

Lyme were enjoying their best spell of the game and, after missing a one-on-chance, were given a penalty which Ben Vine had the misfortune of missing.

Shaftesbury retaliated by countering for 2-1 but Lyme were incensed by what the Seasiders perceived to be handball, a Shaftesbury player alleged to have blocked a shot with his arm.

Lyme struggled for fluency in the second half and Shaftesbury punished the Seasiders with a third goal in the 88th minute as Lyme switched to three defenders in the hope of levelling.

Speaking to the Bridport News, Lyme boss Gerard Hitchcock said: “It’s hard to put a finger on where it all went wrong.

“One decision changed the game really. We went in at 2-1 down and never really got going in the second half.

“It was a bit flat and it didn’t happen for us.

“They weren’t an awful side but they won’t win it, don’t get me wrong.”

Lyme: Garner, M Knight (Holmes 75), Wellman, G Knight, Rocket, Parsons, Turner, Fellingham, Bowditch (Womersley 70), Vine, Bond. Sub not used: Every.