LYME Regis Reserves moved into fourth position in the Devon and Exeter League Division Three with a 2-1 home victory over seaside neighbours Seaton Town.

Seaton's first team had to drop from the Premier to third division after they lost a number of players, but there was little between the two sides.

The home Seasiders should have taken the lead in the sixth minute as they pummelled the Seaton goal with multiple scoring chances, ending with a Steve Batey blockbuster ricocheting off the cross bar.

It took until the 20th minute before Lyme were able to extend their advantage when Ben Bowditch unselfishly squared the ball with only the keeper to beat for Tom Kilcoyne to tap home after a glorious long ball from Robbie Fowler.

Lyme continued to dominate and went two up in the 26th minute when Jake Bearpark put the ball away after cleverly beating a defender.

The speedy Seaton front-line tested the Lyme defence on a number of occasions and were able to reduce the arrears on the stroke of half-time when a Will Hellier free-kick evaded Lyme's stand-in keeper Noah Gilmore and flew into the top corner to make it 2-1 at the break.

The second half was a different story as the Lyme players seemed to run out of steam with Seaton working hard to get the equaliser. They were particularly unlucky in the 57th minute when a goal-bound shot rebounded off the inside of the post straight into Gilmore's hands.

As the game wore on the Seasiders seem to regain their energy with a number of raids on the Seaton goal, but the visitors held firm with the help of the woodwork on one occasion.

Lyme have made a number of new signings this season and two of these, Shaun Vallely in midfield and Tom Kilcoyne (winger), look to be good acquisitions.

Manager Matt Preece will be pleased with this result as he has not been able to field a stable side so far this season with the opening weeks plagued by postponements due to the epidemic and unavailabilities.