AXMINSTER TOWN RESERVES 0

LYME REGIS 2

LYME Regis completed the double over Axminster Town Reserves with a 2-0 victory in Devon & Exeter League Premier Division action.

Julien Simier’s men backed up their 4-0 win over the Tigers in February.

Facing a pitch typically hard and bobbly for this time of year – as many grounds in Dorset were last weekend – Lyme’s passing game was disrupted.

The Seasiders were therefore made to work extremely hard for their chances but did eventually get the breakthrough just before half-time.

READ MORE: Sidmouth Town Seconds 2-3 Lyme Regis - match report

Lyme swung a corner in and a slight deflection zipped the ball towards the reliable Fred Parsons, who stooped to head home for 1-0 at the back post.

With the game tensely poised at 1-0 in the second half, Lyme were made to wait until the final 15 minutes for their second.

It came from their star striker Joe Bond, who miscued an effort with the outside of his boot thanks to a bobble, which looped the ball over the Axminster keeper.

Lyme were able to close out their sixth league victory in a row, including the home walkover against Kentisbeare, with relative ease.

Their one moment of worry throughout the entire game came when Axminster had a goal disallowed for offside.

And Simier was content with the Seasiders’ display given the conditions.

He said: “It was a very similar situation as at Sidmouth pitch-wise and everything else.

“It’s one of those games where we should’ve done better and scored more goals. It was what it was.

“I’ve got a few players who used to play for Axminster as well, so the emotion got the most of them possibly.

“We didn’t play the best football we could have but we managed to put the ball over the line twice and they never really worried us.

“They scored a goal which was five or six yards offside, that was the only chance they had.”

On Parsons and Bond, Simier added: “They seem to be doing the business in big games all the time.

“Fred scored the first goal which really put a lot of pressure on them, it was a very important moment five minutes before half-time.

“It settles, all the nerves are gone and you start to breathe. Then Joe scored before the end and settled the nerves again.

“You can control the game all you want but when it’s only 1-0, one mistake and the game’s changed.”

Lyme have no game this weekend but return to action at Okehampton on Saturday, April 16.

Lyme: Higgs, Fellingham, Knight, R Sargent, B Bowditch, Garrett, Turner, Parsons, Bailey (Rendell 70), Bond, Lamb-Wilson (Rawlins 80).