LYME Regis fell to a third straight league defeat as they were defeated 2-0 by a spirited Sidmouth Town side.

Conditions were far from perfect for Townsend’s side, as a heavy pitch stopped both teams playing their usual game.

It was a fairly even opening to the Devon & Exeter Division One game, with both sides creating numerous half-chances but failing to capitalise, something which they would soon regret.

Sidmouth then took the lead when a cross from the left flank found its way to the back post, where the hosts’ midfielder steamed into the box to put a powerful header into the top corner for a superb opener.

The visitors huffed and puffed and were awarded a penalty just five minutes before half-time after Cody Bowditch was brought down, before Fellingham’s spot-kick was easily saved by the keeper.

Lyme continued to push forward in the second half, but they were caught out when a ball over the top found its way to Lee Cleal in the Lyme goal, who slipped on the difficult playing surface, allowing the host striker to tap the ball in to seal the victory.

Speaking after the game, Lyme manager Robin Townsend praised his side’s effort despite the defeat.

He said: “It was disappointing. The last game I was at against Willand we were poor and got what we deserved because we were awful. But at least the boys put in the commitment and the effort in this week, and I couldn’t

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have asked for any more.

“I personally felt we didn’t deserve to lose that game, and maybe should have got something from it, whether that’s a win or a draw, but unfortunately for us luck wasn’t on our side.

“If we’d scored the penalty, then the game gets turned on its head and it’d be a completely different second half, but that’s just the way it is unfortunately.”

The result strongly dented Lyme’s aspirations at the top of the league, but Townsend is pleased his side are responding.

He said: “We know exactly where we are and what we need to be doing. Against Willand we got what we deserved because it was the poorest result of the season.

“But since then, at least people are giving their full commitment and we were just unlucky, we didn’t deserve to lose that game.

“We battled and tried to get something, but unfortunately it just wasn’t our day.”

Lyme Regis: Cleal, Day, Knight (Gale 55), Rowe, Laing, Bowditch (Parsons 60), Fellingham, Turner, White, Simier (King 85), Ellis