LYME REGIS RES 1 ILMINSTER TN RES 2:

A BAD lapse in concentration after hauling themselves back into this Daisy Hutchings Cup final cost the Seasiders the silver.

Lyme, who spent a great deal of the time playing catch-up against a quicker and better organised opposition, allowed Adam Whaites to slice down the middle virtually unchallenged and tuck the ball past Nick Tregale for the winner with eight minutes to go.

Stunned Lyme had grabbed an unlikely equaliser just before through Ellis Hoole who gobbled up the opportunity when Steve Batey's deep throw sailed through the defence and found him in the clear.

Match weary Lyme, who peaked too early for their late cup finals, stayed in the hunt with a lot of effort but Ilminster always looked the fresher and sharper combination. Tregale was called upon to make two early saves as Ilminster opened smartly, and the Lyme custodian was mightily relieved when Geoff Dart missed a sitter soon after.

Veteran Lyme schemer Stuart Rattenbury knocked through a few useful balls but it was pretty sterile stuff from his side throughout.

The galloping Greg Emmett did well with a penetrative cross which Hoole just failed to reach and Rattenbury's back header was knocked out from under the bar with keeper Trevor Priddle well beaten.

The goal which put the Seasiders on the back foot came on 38 minutes when Kevin Rogers stroked a penalty wide of Tregale after Stuart King had infringed. It was tough luck on King whose tackle looked clumsy rather than illegal and who performed very solidly for his side.

The longer the game went, the more jaded Lyme became, enabling Ilminster to tighten their grip with a display of fluency and imagination.

Hoole failed to connect after a clever run and centre by Nick Bown, and the Lyme prospects continued to dwindle until the equaliser came out of the blue.

Hopes of a latte snatch and cup grab were quickly quashed, however, when nobody seriously challenged the lively Whaites.

So the season which promised so much for Lyme really didn't deliver. Most Perry Street League club's would be satisfied with one "pot," and third place in the premier division but the small haul represents a campaign of under achievement for an outfit of Lyme's stature in this class of soccer.