Exmouth Town recorded their 3rd win and clean sheet in a row with a tightly fought 1-0 victory over a valiant Mousehole at the Complete Infrastructure Stadium.

Matt Wright’s goal saw Town jump one place in the Southern League Division One South to 7th.

The first half started with chances for both sides though it was the visitors who would record the best opportunities early on. Town keeper Aaron Dearing did well to stop a marauding Jack Calver one on one.

Dearing would then be gratefully see the ball strike the bar from a Hayden Turner lob shortly after.

Town then grew into the game whilst remaining cautious of the swift Mousehole front line.

The wing backs, Sam Morcom and Joe Belsten, threatened down either wing, with Matt Wright proving to be a handful as ever, acting as the galvanising target man.

Belsten created the best opportunity of the half, as he fashioned space to deliver to the head of Tom Bath who would narrowly head over from close range. 

The second half started with pace and Town emerged as the stronger team. Within the first 3 minutes, they would get themselves ahead.

A long ball flicked on by Bath found the path of the lively Wright to finish off with his head.

Town continued to pile on the pressure. Ethan Slater and Belsten, who remained a dynamic presence on the right wing, both had efforts from range though would not threaten the visitor’s goal.

If Mousehole were to have got anything from the game, it would likely have come from the talismanic Turner.

His energy proved tricky for Town’s back line. Calver would also go close again with a long-range effort midway through the second half. His ambitious free kick was expertly tipped over by shot stopper Dearing.

Town survived late pressure from the Cornish outfit. The referee gave late yellows to substitute Arron Denny and defender Ross Edwards, and this was reflexive of battling final five minutes as both teams scrapped for points.

It is back-to-back home games for town as they welcome Melksham to the Complete Infrastructure Stadium next Saturday, in search of their 4th win in as many games.

Starting 11: Dearing, Morcom, Cann, Edwards, Landricombe, Shipton, Bath (84), Griffith (72), Slater, Belsten, Wright

Subs: Knowles, Dennny (18), Akingbade, Cunnigham, Steer (6)

Match Report by Tommy Jenkins