Lymington maintain perfect start with narrow win over 10-man Christchurch

Sydenhams Wessex Premier

Christchurch FC 0

Lymington Town FC 1

LYMINGTON Town FC continued their perfect start to the league campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over Christchurch FC at Hurn Bridge.

Lymington took a first-half lead when captain Tim Stephenson, who used to be an AFC Bournemouth Academy player, blasted a header in from close range. Christchurch’s task was made all the more difficult after the dismissal of Ron Frost for a poor challenge on Tyrone Carkeet.

Both sides started the match looking to be the aggressors, with chances exchanged at either end. The deadlock was broken when Lymington Town’s Luke Churchill lifted a corner high into the air for centre back Stephenson, who arrived late after running in from deep, to firmly header the ball past Lewis Gunstone-Gray to give his side a 28th-minute lead.

With his side chasing the game, Christchurch’s influential Frost was penalised by David Morey after going through the back of Carkeet. Despite the midfielder already on a yellow card, the referee displayed a straight red to reduce the home side to 10 men with half-time moments away.

After the break, Craig McAllister headed the ball down to second-half substitute Owen Fee who blazed a glorious chance to double the lead over the bar from 12 yards out.

Although the home side failed to create much in the second-half, their loud, and probably accurate, calls for a handball on the edge of the area fell on deaf ears.

Christchurch are in FA Cup action against National League North side Gloucester City at home on Saturday, while Lymington are at home against Bournemouth Poppies.

Lymington Town: Casey, L. Churchill, Stephenson, Stanley, Fuller, House, Hurst, Falco, Carkeet, Flynn, McAllister. Subs: Fee, Drake, C. Churchill, Man, Nicholls.

Christchurch: Gunstone-Gray, Ohameje, Hill, Frost, Walker, Wright, Satterley, Swann, Pope, Wilcock, Kirkham. Subs: Buck, Stone, Fletcher, Graham, Cherrett.