LYME REGIS 4

COLYTON 2

LYME Regis got 2020 up and running with a solid 4-2 victory over a battling Colyton in their Macron Devon & Exeter League Premier Division meeting at Davey Fort.

Cody Bowditch’s cross-come-shot handed Lyme an early lead before the full-back doubled his and the Seasiders’ tally on 10 minutes, nodding home Rob Fellingham’s cross at the back post.

Colyton made it 2-1 on 20 minutes despite the best efforts of the back-tracking Alex Rocket, whose slide tackle ricocheted the ball around the box, allowing George Richards to slot home.

Fellingham provided another fiendish corner in the second half, swinging in a delivery to the back post when Fred Parsons met the header to nudge home on 65 minutes.

Colyton showed plenty of spirit and within two minutes of going 3-1 down had halved their deficit when Jake Collier stooped to bully home a near-post header past Lyme keeper Brett Garner.

Rocket and Craig Every were then hauled off for Ben Vine and Cam Fowler, the substitutes making an instant impact.

Vine fed fellow sub Brad Rowe on the wing and the latter crossed for Joe Bond in the area, the striker controlling and lethally finishing.

Lyme boss Gerard Hitchcock felt his substitutes had been the difference during the contest.

He said: “Our three subs came on and made an impact and they brought a couple of lads on who were no better than what they had on there and weren’t going to change the game.

“That’s what did it for us and we saw it through. Once we were 4-2 we were quite safe.”

Lyme: Garner, Rocket (Fowler 70), G Knight, Wellman, M Knight, Fellingham, Every (Vine 70), Turner, Parsons (Rowe 75), Bond, Bowditch.