A poor first half performance from Exmouth Town saw them bow out of the Devon Bowl, losing 4-2 to a youthful Plymouth Argyle team.

Goals from Ben Griffith and Ace High were not enough, as two goals from Caleb Roberts alongside strikes from Kian Burch and Tegan Finn helped Argyle to victory.

It was the worst possible start to the game for Exmouth, who struggled to deal with the technical ability of the academy side, when a cross found Fletcher Poole, who was denied thanks to a wonderful stop from Frankie Phillips, the ball found it’s way out to Roberts, and he fired into the bottom corner from outside the box.

Unfortunately for the hosts, it did not get better, as five minutes later, Burch was left unmarked in the box, and he made no mistake with his header.

Argyle continued the one-way traffic in the first half, with Phillips saving from Burch, and Riddell’s goal-saving challenge stopped the striker from adding another.

Burch came close again, as Poole’s cross was direct to the number nine, who headed wide.

Exmouth got a slight hold on the game before the half an hour mark, with Ollie Knowles finding Callum Shipton, and his cross was met by Tom Bath, who could only find Jack Flower.

Despite a brief reprieve, Argyle got straight back to business and put themselves out of sight in the 34th minute, when Roberts picked up a loose ball and picked out the bottom corner from just inside the box.

Exmouth had quite clearly had a talking too at half time, and came out better in the second 45, Ollie Knowles forcing an early save from Flower set the tone.

A string of changes followed, and Town got themselves back in the game when two of those linked up, as Louis Morison’s quick thinking from a free-kick set Griffith through, and his wonderful first time finish rifled into the bottom corner.

Buoyed by the goal, the Town attacker struck the woodwork a minute later, although his effort looked more like a cross then a shot.

New signing Freddie Haden was making his Exmouth debut, and he came close with a diving header, which rebounded to Morison, and he blasted over from close range.

It was almost a second for Griffith, as his shot was excellently blocked by Harry Shield, and that launched a counter attack through the scintillating Roberts, who took it all the way before laying it off to Finn, and he curled past Phillips.

Finn almost got his second, as he took it through four Town players in an excellent bit of play, but he got his finish all wrong, and blazed over from just outside the six yard box.

The second debutant Nathan May played a big part in the hosts’ second goal, with his fantastic run allowing him to square to High, and his first time finish found the roof of the net.

Argyle would see the game out and earn a deserved win, with Town taking too long to get into the game, although they can take some heart from the second half performance.

Exmouth will next be in action when they travel to Westbury this Saturday.

ATTENDANCE: 477

LINE-UP: Phillips, Cann (Landricombe, 53), Thorne, Rowe, Riddell (High, 78), Lever, Shipton (Griffith, 53), Knowles (Morison, 60), Haden, Bath (May, 58), McCue.