FOOTBALL

ALTHOUGH Farway were lively, as expected, the Seasiders made a comfortable start to their Perry Street Premier Division programme.

Lyme, who have a great record on the small ground in East Devon, travelled expecting a tougher encounter after pre-season reports about a strengthened Farway squad.

"But," said Lyme team boss Chris Andrews, "they were not as strong as I thought they would be. We found them a much more daunting prospect at the end of last season.

"Nevertheless, I was very pleased with our performance; we played some very good football at times."

Lyme, who led 2-0 at the change round, opened their scoring after 25 minutes. Graham White, back with the Seasiders after a spell at Bridport, set it up, nipping down the flank before picking out Will Thomson whose delicate touch was enough to beat the keeper.

Joel Gostling, who looks an exciting prospect for Lyme these days, notched the Lyme second with a superb chip from the edge of the penalty area.

Farway started the second period brightly. But they rarely forced keeper Chris Higgs to break into a sweat, and the tall custodian was called upon only once to make a quality save.

The outcome was put beyond all doubt by White who worked his way neatly past lunging defenders to fire home a cracking 20-yard shot.

White, Lyme's man of the match, was always industrious and prominent but it was Thomson who almost had the final say when his header clipped the Farway post.

Lyme, who struggled at the end of last season to finish second, again look title contenders and are beginning to shape up well with a well balanced squad.