MATCH REPORT: Exmouth Town 1-4 Wimborne Town

Exmouth 1

Wimborne 4

Sat 6th January 2023

Goals: Lovell x2, Morgan, Beale

Att: 228

Wimborne started 2024 with a comprehensive victory at bogey-side Exmouth. Goals at the beginning of each half by Jack Lovell put the Magpies in control as Harry Morgan and a late strike from Lewis Beale sealed the points.

Manager Tim Sills made one change, Josh Carmichael replacing the injured Sam Roberts. Sam Jackson moved to centre-back with the versatile Ben Scorey filling in at left-back. There were just four on the substitutes’ bench.

Exmouth has been a difficult place for Wimborne to come, but from the first whistle the visitors bristled with attacking intent to consign that to the history pages. The first twenty minutes were probably the best start Tim’s team has made all season. Time and again passes were strung together – five, six, seven – across the back-line – Flitney to Jackson to Scorey to Jackson to Walker to Hanger – then midfield got involved – Carmichael to Neale – down the left – Neale to Griffin to Morgan, and when that broke down the ball was moved to the right – Hanger to Bedford to Morgan – it was terrific football. Remarkably so given the state of the pitch – it was like watching a team playing on a 3G.

It was no surprise that by the mid-point of the half Wimborne were two ahead. On four minutes Jack Lovell controlled Harry Morgan’s cross from the right, swivelled and fired low past keeper Wright; and on seventeen minutes Matt Neale and Sam Griffin combined on the left to create a chance for Morgan who scored from close range.

The home side did manage the occasional foray only to find Billy Walker and Sam Jackson in commanding form. Surprisingly, just before the half-hour mark, Exmouth pulled a goal back. With no real danger, Jackson’s clearance from the by-line hit centre-forward High and fell to the feet of Denny to the right of the penalty-spot. He shot low, under Flitney, and inside the near post – it was to be Exmouth’s only attempt on goal the whole game. For a few minutes Exmouth seized the initiative and found space in midfield, but then they came up against Walker and Jackson in uncompromising form. The visitors soon seized back control and it took keeper Wright and two diving defenders to keep out another goal-bound shot.

The second-half was less than a minute old when Wimborne scored a third. Hanger found Jez Bedford hugging the right touchline. As had happened during the first-half, the effervescent winger tormented his defender before hitting the perfect cross into the danger area for the alert Lovell to score.

A feature was how Wimborne were winning the vast majority of second-balls then intelligently keeping possession as they probed for openings. The pass count increased – eight, nine, ten strung together as the hosts were moved around on the strength-sapping surface. Some desperate defending gave Wimborne free-kick opportunities but Exmouth’s wall stood strong and tall to deny first Morgan, then Hanger, then Lovell. The centre-forward was having a terrific game epitomised by how he won a high ball against two big defenders, shrugging them off to lay the ball to Bedford who found Lewis Beale who shot over.

Beale had come as a substitute and was determined to stake his claim for a starting position. Neale sent him through down the inside-left channel where his pace took him clear before his rising shot clipped the top of the bar. But he did deservedly get his reward deep into the six minutes referee Long added on. Neale’s cross from the left led to some ping-pong in the box before the ball fell to Beale to the left of the “D” who sent an absolute ripper pass Wright into the net to complete the scoring.

Was this Wimborne’s best 90-minute away performance of the season? Definitely. It was a terrific team effort – players and management together. Tim got the tactics spot-on, and the boys executed the plan to perfection. It was a joy to behold! And on a heavy pitch. Of course tougher battles lie ahead, but a fifth consecutive victory tells you that confidence is high. It was a good day at the office!