Exmouth Town battled to a second consecutive win against Tavistock, as a Mike Landricombe header made the difference in a 1-0 win at Langsford Park.

The Captain’s late goal was one of few chances created, in a game where both sides defended well, but struggled to create many efforts on goal.

Tavistock saw themselves down to ten men just before the half time whistle as Ruben Kane was dismissed for a hard tackle on Tom Bath.

Exmouth started brightly, creating a few half chances early on, with Nelson Iseguan having the best one, firing over at the near post.

Ben Steer took to the pitch against his former side for the second time this week, and almost had a golden chance to put the Lambs in front, but goalkeeper Frankie Phillips was quick off his line to deny him an opportunity to shoot.

Town found space in the midfield, and used this to their advantage from a free-kick routine, as Ollie Knowles played it short to Joe Belsten, who laid it off to Aarron Denny, whose effort almost nestled into the top corner, but was a little too high.

Denny continued to cause trouble for Tavistock, as he drifted in between two defenders before shooting at Aaron Dearing, who saved well.

Dearing denied Town a clear chance to make it 1-0 as Belsten’s cross made it all the way through to an unmarked Iseguan at the backpost, but a superb save denied the winger a goal.

Tavistock would have a chance to open the scoring before half time, as new signing Ben Adelsbury tested Phillips from 30 yards out, with the Exeter City loanee getting down well to deny him a debut goal.

That would not be the last action of the game, as Kane flew into a challenge with Bath, where he won the ball but took plenty of the striker, and was dismissed by the referee.

Exmouth, perhaps buoyed by the man advantage, tested the Tavistock resolve with a flurry of corners, although they were unable to test Dearing.

With an understandable emphasis on defending for the Lambs, the initiative for Town to create was on them, and being something that they have struggled with in the past, it took the visitors a while to break down the resilient home defence.

Morgan Williams had the ball ripple the back of the net, unfortunately for the away fans that cheered, it was the literal back of the net, as his cross was just over the bar.

Belsten struck the bar from a cross, but it felt like Exmouth were heading towards a frustrating 0-0 draw at Langsford Park.

That changed with ten minutes to go, when Belsten’s corner found Landricombe, who rose highest to powerfully head the ball through Dearing’s legs, and put Town in front.

Tavistock started to push for an equaliser, and they mounted the pressure on the away side in stoppage time.

That culminated with a corner where Dearing came from his goal into the box, but Ben Fowles would head it wide at the near post, and Exmouth would see out the remaining moments of the game.

This win sees Exmouth move up to third in the Southern League Division One South, continuing an excellent start to the season.

A busy October awaits, and we get started with the visit of Cribbs on Wednesday, with it being a 7:45pm KO at the Complete Infrastructure Stadium.

LINE-UP: Phillips, Cann, Belsten, Landricombe, Morison, Knowles, Williams, Denny, Iseguan (McCue, 88), Bath (High, 67), Griffith (Llewellyn, 90).

SUBS NOT USED: Thorne, Riddell.