Match Report: Exmouth Town 2-0 Slimbridge

Exmouth Town battled to their first win in four games, as they beat Slimbridge 2-0 at the Search4Local Stadium.

It was not a vintage display from Town, who saw the visitors down to ten men after 30 minutes, but goals from Joe Belsten and Tom Chastey proved enough to earn all three points.

With three players returning from injury in Ben Steer, Aarron Denny and Ross Edwards, Town got off to a tough start, with the latter of the three forced off after five minutes.

Exmouth would create the first chance of the game, as Denny switched the ball across the pitch to Alex Cairo, but he blasted over from just inside the box.

The Swans started to find their feet in the game, and they found space out wide to cross the ball into the box, with Mike Landricombe on hand to make a crucial block to stop the shot.

A corner would soon follow, and the ball fell nicely to Jack Holmes, but he shot over from close range, letting Exmouth off the hook.

That momentum would be halted just before the half hour mark, as Jacob Rodgers was shown a straight red card for a tough challenge on Belsten.

The full-back would go down in some pain, but bounced back moments later as he drifted into the box unmarked, and headed Owen Johnson’s cross into the back of the net.

It could have been two just before the half time whistle, as Denny’s sweetly struck half-volley looked destined for the top corner, with a superb save from Callum Godfrey denying him.

Matt Wonnacott was called into action early in the second half, making a strong stop to deny another threatening Slimbridge cross.

The game managed to turn even more bitty then it already was, with the 10-man visitors looking more likely to make something happen.

Exmouth continued to hang on to their slender lead, as Jack Smith forced another Wonnacott save, before the ball rolled out to Theo Lynden, who rattled the post with a long-range effort.

Against the run of play, Town would find the winner when Ace High picked up the ball in space, and squared to Cairo, whose shot rolled perfectly into the path of Chastey, and he made no mistake from close range.

That halted any momentum from the visitors, and secured Exmouth a much-needed win, which they can only improve from.

They will aim to do that on Tuesday, as they make the trip to Portland United in the Southern League Division One South.