YOU always know when going to play a University team that you are going to be up against a young, athletic team who want to play a more possession based game. And that's exactly what Lyme Regis Reserves faced against University of Exeter 5th X1 yesterday (Saturday).

So manager Matt Preece made a decision to call on the club's own youth, bringing in players like Zak Harrison and Matt Bradley into the starting line-up. He also made a change of goalkeeper. Rob Harp had been fantastic at times this season, but it was felt that Will Meech, now fit to play in goal again after a hand injury in pre-season, deserved a chance between the sticks.

The game started at a fast pace, end-to-end but with neither team creating any clear-cut chances. What was evident from the first whistle was that Lyme were really determined to compete all over the pitch, to try and put right a poor performance two weeks ago when they were nocked out of the Bill Lee Cup by Tipton St John wholly in a division below them.

Playing with the wind their most dangerous moments came from Ben Bowditch's long throws and some great set-piece delivers from Toby Fowler and Jake Bearpark.

Going the other way, it was evident that the Uni side were going to threaten on the break with some lighting quick players and an impressive playmaker in the middle of the park who looked dangerous every time the ball went near him.

Unfortunately, Ben Bowditch, who had been struggling in the week, needed to come off with a tight chest on the half hour mark, so on came Louis Rinaldi, back from an ankle injury that had been plaguing him for months. He immediately made an impact, putting in some great challenges, chasing down a tough opponent and creating a threat with a nutmeg on the left back before trying to find Steve Batey at the back post with a cross.

Half-time came with the scores level but the breakthrough came when Jake Bearpark, who has fought his way back into the team brilliantly since the turn of the year, and who was superb both defensively and going forward on the day, won the ball high up, played a one- two with Batey and then drove a left-footed cross into the box where Cam Fowler managed to get something on it and nudge it home for a deserved lead.

Uni fought back and started to really use the conditions to their advantage with balls over the top and long-range shots, but Will Meech, who had be really safe all game, had to come alive and was all action, sweeping in behind the back line, catching everything that came at him and using his personality and experience to make sure the clock ran down.

Manager Preece commented after the game: "The team reacted brilliantly to our last performance and the energy and competitiveness we showed all over the pitch was excellent, Bearpark was fantastic all game, but in the last 20 minutes the three points was definitely won by the great performance by Meech in goal, so he gets my vote for manor-the-match on the day."