With the injury list growing, Manager Stuart Henderson made a tactical change to his starting line-up, by playing captain Warren Daw in midfield, bringing in debutant Palmer in centre of defence alongside Harry Southcott.
The game got off to a fast start with both teams playing some fine football in blustery conditions. It was the Lambs that were on the front foot with Josh Grant firing over the bar in the twenty minute.
The game continued to flow from end to end but neither could find the killer touch in front of goal on the half hour a great move saw Tyler Elliot produce a beautiful cross into the penalty area But Jack Crago,s shot was deflected away for a corner kick.
Two minutes later Josh Oak was make a smart save to deny Cooper from scoring Three minutes later Josh Grant made a fine break through the middle, so Powell in the home goal made an easy save. Another fine move by the Lambs saw Luke Brown fierce shot go inches wide of the target.
Exmouth’s best move of the half came in the 40th minute when Merrit produce a perfect cross, but Caven shot well over the bar from the edge of the penalty area.
Just before the Lambs missed a golden opportunity to open the scoring just before the interval. A mistake by the home defence allowed Liam Prynn in on goal, he rounded the keeper but he shot wide of the target from eight yards.
The second period saw the Lambs increase the tempo, a good move resulted in Luke Brown firing wide of the target when well placed. Exmouth then headed wide of the target from a corner kick.
On the hour a great move saw Tyler Elliot find Jack Crago his fine cross found Liam Prynn at the far post but his effort was palmed over the bar by Powell in the home goal.
Then totally against the run of play Exmouth took the lead in the seventieth minute, when Shipton produced a wonderful curling shot from twenty two yards into the top corner of the net.
The Lambs pressed for an equaliser and should have at least have levelled the scores but in the last fifteen minutes they missed three glorious opportunities. Warren Daw went inches wide of the target from twenty yards. It was Daw again that saw another fine effort deflected away for a corner kick. The kick saw Palmer head inches over the bar. With ten minutes to go the Lambs missed a sitter when a terrific passing move opened up the home defence the cross from Tyler Elliot was perfect but Josh Grant blasted his shot wide of the target from ten yards. Both Tallan Burns and Jack Crago had good efforts saved by Powell.
The Lambs were so unlucky to lose this game, after being the better team for long periods, and were beaten by one piece a magic out of the blue by Shipton.
Man of the match was Warren Daw, playing in midfield he won every header and was a significant factor in the Lambs having long spells of possession.
Manager Stuart Henderson said “the performance was much more like ourselves. The lads did everything I asked apart from putting the ball in the net”.