EXMOUTH Town slipped to yet another single goal defeat when they were edged out by visiting Teignmouth Town by the odd goal in five, writes John Tidball.

The visitors’ playing with the benefit of a strong wind at their backs, were ahead inside two minutes with a move that had started in their own penalty area. However once they got the ball they made a couple of passes before the ball was crossed in from the flank and nodded into the Town net.

Town were clearly stung by the early goal but produced an equally stunning, and instant, response.

Three minutes after going behind they were back on level terms. Kenny Smith had an effort cleared off the line, and, from the resulting corner, Tom Lowe hit the post before Wayne Baker drove the rebound home.

On twenty minutes Baker shot narrowly wide, and, as the game ebbed and flowed, Teignmouth struck an upright.

Five minutes before the break, new player-boss Aidy Pullin did well saving an initial shot but his defenders were unable to clear the lines and, when the ball was lumped back into the area, it was forced home from close range to send the visitors into the break with the advantage.

With the wind now in their favour, Town applied incessant pressure at the start of the second half.

The visiting keeper produced two excellent saves to deny Smith and Ben Shephard before the seemingly inevitable happened and the visitors snatched a third, again very much on the break, to leave Town trailing 3-1.

To their credit, Town again responded, and, were rewarded when, under pressure from Shephard, a defender headed into his own goal.

The Southern Road faithful now got the impression that Town were on the their way, at the very least, to sharing the spoils, but, not for the first time this term, a failure to finish clear cut chances, was to deny them.

When the final whistle blew it was to signal a 3-2 defeat and a fourth time in five outings that they have been beaten by just a single goal.

On Saturday Town are at Crediton who they beat 5-0 at Southern Road back in November and who they have also beaten 4-1 in cup football this season.