MATCH REPORT: Exmouth Town 2-3 Bristol Manor Farm

Bristol Manor Farm returned to winning ways on Saturday afternoon, defeating Exmouth Town in testing conditions at The Circle of Care Community Stadium, writes Jack Davies.

Even though the game was allowed to go ahead late in the day thanks to an inspection, the weather conditions were incredibly poor down in one of Devon’s typically most attractive seaside towns. The home side were keen to utilise new signing Iseguan’s pace on the left flank, and took the lead after 10 minutes. Iseguan received the ball inside the area and flashed a low effort in at the near post. That goal did wake Farm who began to control the game in search of an equaliser. Remarkably, the visitors would have three efforts cleared from the goal line in a dominant five-minute spell. First Josh Ford had a bullet header turned away by a defender before Evander Grubb and George Kellow both had scrambled efforts blocked away. The pressure would tell on the half hour. Lovely patient and probing football on the edge of the area before Evander Grubb’s exquisite dink over the keeper levelled the game. The rest of the half was fairly end-to-end as both teams knew how big three points could be. Farm captain Jamie Adams drove a shot just over before Exmouth forward Ben Steer forced a fine diving save from Seth Locke.

Farm slightly altered shape due to enforced substitution of Theo Llewelyn and it paid off just a few minutes into the second half. Jayden Nielsen with some incredible footwork as he left two defenders in his wake before slotting coolly into the far corner to give Farm the lead. Farm were beginning to take complete control before they were hit with the sucker punch equaliser. Another searching long ball, and an awkward bounce, wasn’t properly dealt with and Iseguan slotted in his second of the afternoon. A breathless game would be settled by a moment of Grubb magic, as the youngster got a brace of his own. Kellow’s persistence stole the ball high up and Grubb absolutely rifled the ball into the far top corner. Seth Locke would have the final say on the afternoon as his clearance from inside his own box deceived home keeper Sowden-Bird and crashed off his crossbar. Moments later, he adjusted his positioning superbly to tip a deflected Exmouth effort over the bar.