LAUNCESTON increased the pressure on managerless Exmouth as they moved back into the top four.

The first-half was a largely uneventful affair, but the Clarets took the lead in the 40th minute when Liam Prynn beat the offside trap to tap home Ruben Kane’s cross.

Five minutes after the break Chris Head danced down the left-wing and turned his full-back inside-out before firing an accurate shot past keeper Joe Moore and into the far corner.

Exmouth were still well in the game at this stage and Joe Barker hit the bar with a rising drive which beat Chenoweth.

But the Clarets made things safe with a fine team goal in the 78th minute. Callum Thompson showed great close control in midfield before setting Jack Alexander clear down the right. The wide-man was able to pick out Sam Davey with an accurate low cross and the club’s top-scorer comfortably beat Moore to make the game safe.

It’s?been a week to forget for bottom of the table Bude, who were thrashed 6-1 at Fairfield.

The second team were forced to pull out of?Division?One of the East Cornwall League this week due to a shortage of players.

Despite the problems, they did manage to take a fourth minute lead through Laurie Turpin, however the newly-promoted hosts turned on the style with Gerens James scoring a hat-trick to add to strikes from Ross Duncan, Dan Magee (penalty) and Wade Brown.

Bude host second-bottom St Blazey on Saturday as they look to grab their first points of the season at the sixth time of asking.