Lymington Town's McAllister scored the only goal to clinch FA Cup First Qualifying Round progression
Emirates FA Cup First Round Qualifying
Barnstaple Town FC 0
Lymington Town FC 1
LYMINGTON Town won the battle of defences to book their place in the next FA Cup round with a 1-0 away win over Barnstaple Town in a match with few chances.
Both sides play in the same division, but new boys, Lymington, are faring much better, with hosts Barnstaple Town yet to register a single point. In response to the cup defeat, Barnstaple's Dean Edwards has resigned his position as manager.
Despite the match proving reasonably plain sailing, the journey was anything but simple. After the coach met half the players 45 minutes into the trip in Ower, the second half of the drive was scuppered by an exploding battery.
Without delay, the players disembarked from the coach and squeezed into the players' and management's cars to make the kick-off time.
A replacement coach delivered the travelling support through the turnstiles as referee James Gould blew his opening whistle.
The two sides played out a tactical first half with few chances and little to separate the two sides.
After the break, one of Lymington's most threatening players was Owen Fee, who looked to use his energy to turn the game. However, the best chance to break the deadlock fell to the in-form forward Dom Thelan, whose shot cannoned off the post.
Fee continued to terrorise, and his decent ball into the area found the experienced Craig McAllister, who turned and fired a clinical shot past home goalkeeper Adam Seedhouse-Evans to score the game's only goal.
The hosts huffed and puffed but failed to make a breakthrough. Their best chances fell to Yendle, whose shot was blocked after fine defending, and Owen Pritchard, who headed wide off a Brian Levein cross.
As the match entered the final moments, McGrath skimmed the upright with a decent effort, but Lymington was happy to allow the hosts to have the ball, and they confidently saw the game out to seal their spot in the draw for the next round.
Lymington Town: R. Casey, R. Drake, L. Churchill, T. Bailey, T. Stephenson, C. Stanley, D. Thelan, B. Satterley, C. McAllister, O. Fee, H. McGrath. Subs: F. Bullard, S. House, J. Brookes.
