After their home set-back against high-flying Elmore last week, Beer Albion got back to winning ways with a 2-1 victory away at Exmouth Amateurs on Saturday, writes Richard Honnor.

Conditions at Woodbury Common were decidedly bleak and wintry and the game, as a spectacle, did little to warm up the supporters.

Nevertheless, it was a close contest with both sides battling hard for the points and the difference came down to two well-executed set pieces by the Fishermen. Beer were missing key players centre-back Andrew Foster, midfielder Simon Smith and striker Richard Walker on the bench and although their composure was missed, replacements Mike Wheeler Ollie Paget and Luke Bartlett gave good accounts of themselves.

The first half saw plenty of endeavour with Exmouth shading the midfield contest, but the only notable attempts on goal were on six minutes when the Ammies centre forward controlled a long ball well and volleyed just wide from 15 yards and then on 40 minutes when Chris Long’s free kick from 25 yards took an awkward deflection but was finger-tipped off the line by the Ammie’s keeper.

The Fishermen enjoyed their best spell early in the 2nd half and took the lead on 48 minutes when centre-back Joe Adkin headed in George Harwood’s right-wing corner from close range. Exmouth came close to equalising on 53 minutes when Beer keeper Mark Rooke saved a shot from close range.

The Fishermen went 2-0 up on 62 minutes from another Harwood corner when Jacob Clode placed a fine header into the corner of the goal. Exmouth were clearly vulnerable to set pieces and Beer could have gone three-up minutes later when Harwood delivered a fine free kick which found Bartlett and the far post, but his header narrowly missed the target.

Exmouth showed great spirit as the half wore on they began to dominate the play as the Beer defence went deeper. The Ammies were threatening down both flanks and after a period of sustained pressure had forced three corners in succession, the home side reduced the arrears on 75 minutes when a cross from the right was stabbed home from close range.

A minute later, Long missed a good opportunity to seal the match for Beer when he spooned over after the home keeper had miscued his clearance straight to the Fisherman’s feet.

In the final 10 minutes, Exmouth threw everything at Beer but the Fishermen held out resolutely and striker Chris Long almost caught the Ammies on the break on a couple of occasions. First his 25-yarder was tipped over the bar by the Ammies keeper and then he had the ball in the net only to be ruled fractionally offside.

Man-of-the match for the Fishermen was right-back Shaun Denslow.

On Saturday (February 18) Beer are at home to bottom-of-the-table Bow. Kick-off at the Furzebrake is at 3pm and match sponsor is Steve Long - Carpentry.