LYME REGIS 2

OTTERY ST MARY 4

LYME Regis slipped to a 4-2 defeat at the hands of a rejuvenated Ottery St Mary Seconds in their Devon & Exeter League Premier Division clash at Davey Fort.

Going into the game, Lyme were expecting a tougher game than the table suggested, with Ottery sat bottom on minus two points prior to kick-off.

The Otters are currently undergoing a restructure of their playing staff and Lyme’s instincts proved correct as the visitors stormed into a 3-0 lead.

However, a brace from Lyme’s Fred Parsons could not overhaul Ottery’s lead as goals from player-boss Riki Pitter, Jake Haggerty and a Jake Boyland brace gave the Devon side their first league win of the season.

READ MORE: Lyme Regis 3-1 Tipton St John - match report

Speaking to the Bridport & Lyme Regis News, Seasiders’ boss Julien Simier rued missed chances and referenced the Otters’ changes as contributors to the defeat.

He said: “I was expecting some change from Ottery because I knew Billy (Rouse) left and put their first team into a bit of a pickle.

“They were trying to restructure the club and I knew their second team didn’t have a game the game before because they were lacking players and looking for the first team to be prioritised.

Bridport and Lyme Regis News: Lyme Regis line up before their 4-2 defeat to Ottery St Mary Seconds. Back row from left: Julien Simier (manager), Jack Lamb-Wilson, Kingsley Wellman, Fred Parsons, Chris Higgs, Dan Rendell, Ben Turner, Gary Knight, Harvey Brimicombe, Tom Kilcoyne. Front row (from the left): Zach Harrison, Mark Bailey, Callum Garrett, Rob Fellingham, Joe Bond, Cam Fowler, Kevin Turner (assistant manager). Picture: MAISIE HILLLyme Regis line up before their 4-2 defeat to Ottery St Mary Seconds. Back row from left: Julien Simier (manager), Jack Lamb-Wilson, Kingsley Wellman, Fred Parsons, Chris Higgs, Dan Rendell, Ben Turner, Gary Knight, Harvey Brimicombe, Tom Kilcoyne. Front row (from the left): Zach Harrison, Mark Bailey, Callum Garrett, Rob Fellingham, Joe Bond, Cam Fowler, Kevin Turner (assistant manager). Picture: MAISIE HILL

“We saw half of their first team turning up against us, plus some players who came from Sidmouth firsts were moved because Billy went to Sidmouth.

It was a completely different team than the Ottery St Mary we played in the first half of the season.

“If they manage to keep their squad – their manager was saying it was going to be their squad for the rest of the season – then they will get out (of bottom spot) very quickly because they were very good.

“We didn’t play very well, but they were disciplined. They don’t deserve to be down there, but they will have to fight their way back.”

Simier admitted Lyme had not play to their potential in the loss, which keeps them in eighth place of 13 teams.

“It’s a bit of a shame we are the first team to play them in that sense, but it is what it is,” he said. “We can’t make excuses because of them.

“We didn’t turn up in the first half and they scored three very quick goals, it took us by surprise a little bit.

“We found it hard to respond. We need to start taking our chances, we’re missing quite a lot. Basically, that’s the story.

“We responded quite well second half but unfortunately not well enough. It was always going to be hard to come back from 3-0 down.

“I was quite happy with the second-half performance considering the first half we did.”

Lyme now host 10th-placed Axminster Seconds on Saturday (3pm).