Exmouth Town were knocked out of the Devon Bowl at the quarter-final stage, losing 3-2 to Plymouth Parkway at the Complete Infrastructure Stadium.

Parkway went ahead on three different occasions, with Ed Butcher and Ben Steer scoring inbetween, as James Watts-Barciela’s strike proved to be the winner.

Ryan Brett would prove to be difficult to handle in the early exchanges, going on a good run through the Town midfield, before forcing Aaron Dearing into a save.

Town would respond by striking the woodwork, albeit fortunately, as Sam Morcom’s corner drifted all the way through before hitting the far post.

Dearing would be in action once again, making a solid reaction save after a visiting player let fly from the edge of the box.

The hosts would have a great chance to score after 26 minutes, as Butcher rolled the ball through to Steer, but his low drive struck the inside of the post and rolled out of play.

Luke McCormick would be called into action to stop Aarron Denny’s edge of the box effort, with Ethan Slater heading wide from the following corner.

The experienced shot-stopper kept it level at the break, after Denny won the ball back in the final third before laying off Steer, but some good goalkeeping denied him.

Parkway would open the scoring after 52 minutes, as a brilliant ball in was met by Gunnar Franke, who flicked the ball into the top corner.

Both Slater and Butcher would have half-chances for Town, before Exmouth would get an even better opportunity to level the scoring, as a handball in the box gave the referee no choice but to give a penalty.

Butcher would step up and smash the ball past McCormick to make it all-square.

Steer once again found himself in on goal, but the Parkway goalkeeper was proving to be tough for the forward to beat, as he tipped his shot wide.

The visitors would go back ahead against the run of play, with Callum Hall’s long range effort bouncing into the back of the net.

It would not take long for Town to equalise, and it was finally time for Steer to find the back of the net, as he found space on the edge of the box, and fired the ball into the back of the net.

The game would slow down a little, but it would be the visitors who advanced into the semi-finals as Watts-Barciela received the ball following a scramble in the box, and drilled the ball past Dearing.

Town would throw everything at getting a third equaliser, with McCormick making another superb save to deny Ryan Crawford, but it was not to be for Exmouth.

They will look to get back to winning ways on Saturday, as they make the trip to Larkhall in the Southern League Division One South.

Attendance: 112

Line-Up: Dearing, Morcom, Shore, Cann, Landricombe, Slater (Crawford, 74), Shipton, Denny, Butcher (McCue, 67), Steer, Wright.

Subs Not Used: Wright (GK), Hill, Bath.