A superb defensive display from Exmouth Town saw them beat Mousehole 1-0 at Trungle Parc, as they maintain second place in the Southern League Division One South.

Tom Bath’s goal made the difference, as the visitors dug in to ensure that they came out victorious and continued their magnificent away form.

Mousehole started the game with the majority of the ball, with Exmouth happy to sit in and allow that to happen, stepping in when necessary to deny any real opportunities. 

The hosts had a good chance to open the scoring from a free-kick just outside of the box, with Frankie Phillips required to tip the ball over the bar.

Town were doing a good job of holding possession up, especially through Bath, but just like the Seagulls, the final pass was lacking.

Ryan Barrett and Jordan Hackett were finding some joy out wide, but every time the ball came into the box, it would be Phillips or an away defender who would get there first.

Hayden Turner would have a long-range effort drift wide, but there was a lack of chances in the first half, which suited Town.

Mousehole started the second half strong, putting Exmouth under pressure, but were once again limited to unsuccessful crosses and long shots.

Town needed just one chance to take the lead, as ten minutes into the second half, Ben Griffith beat his man down the left wing and crossed to an unmarked Bath, who fired past Ollie Chenowoth.

This gave Exmouth something to hold onto, as the hosts would once again take a hold of the ball, but a resillient Exmouth would not allow any clear shots on goal.

Tallan Mitchell and Calver were trying to make things happen for the hosts, but Mike Landricombe and Louis Morison remained imperious, denying Turner and Oscar Massey any real opportunties.

Massey may have felt hard done by, as he and Turner made a similar run, and with the latter offside, the whistle went just as the former Falmouth man was setting up to score, which he did, but it wasn’t to count.

In what remained the story for the rest of the game, Mousehole had the ball, but outside of a powerful Calver shot, and two threatening crosses from Hackett, they were unable to break down the firm Town defence.

The visitors potentially could have had a second, with Bath being crowded out by defenders before he could square across to an unmarked Tor Swann, and the latter had an effort fly over the bar from a later counter attack.

It was a fantastic performance from Exmouth, and one they will look to take into next Saturday’s game against Didcot, at the Complete Infrastructure Stadium.

LINE-UP: Phillips, Belsten, Cann, Morison, Landricombe, Knowles, Shipton (Slater, 68), Griffith, High, Steer (Swann, 68), Bath.

SUBS NOT USED: Rowe, McCue, Hill