Exeter City 1 (Flack 47)
Att. 7536
Not Used - Fraser, Blake, Cornforth, Mcconnell
Not Used - Bracey, Whitney, Swales, Whitmore
Ian Goodison and Paul Musselwhite both started, as did Andy Holt. Goodison did not look fully fit to me, but still played very well. Gary Fletcher was among the substitutes. Theodore Whitmore was also among the substitutes, as he slowly regains full match fitness.
The Tigers seemed to start nervously, and no openings were made by either side in the opening minutes. However, on a couple of occasions there were mad scrambles in the Exeter box, but the visitors managed to clear.
As City started to tighten the screw, they pressured more and took the lead on 35 minutes. Kevin Francis took on a defender down the right and hit a low cross across goal. Mark Burrows seemed to be caught in two minds and stabbed the ball past his own keeper Arjan Van Heusden. Francis can take all the credit for the goal.
The half continued to see City in the supremacy, but the second started very differently. Only 2 minutes in, Steve Flack pulled Exeter level with a header in to the bottom corner from an Andy Roscoe free kick. It was a shock, but the Tigers did not respond well in the minutes that immediately followed - They put the ball in the air far too much and did not have enough posession because of it. Christian Roberts took advantage of his sides' good work by hitting a 25 yard shot just wide of Paul Musselwhite's post. But City started to move up a gear again and scored another goal straight away. A great low passing move found Rodney Rowe, and as he turned Jamie Campbell in the area, was shoved over. The referee gave the penalty and booked Campbell after nearly two minutes of Exeter protesting. Rowe responded by drilling the ball in to the bottom corner. However, he wasn't finished there: He gesticulated to Campbell and had to be pulled away, earning himself a booking.
In the next 10 minutes that followed, the ref seemed intent on not giving anything to us. He did not give what should have been another penalty for a handball from a Lee Philpott cross, and gave milder offences as fouls for City. But he was one of those refs who stopped the game a lot for both sides, which fairly agrieved both sets of supporters at times. During these 10 minutes, Rodney Rowe almost scored again but knocked the ball just too far which allowed Van Heusden to tackle as Rowe rounded him.
Brian Liuttle brought on debutant Gary Fletcher for Kevin Francis and he almost found the net. As soon as he set eyes on the ball, he hit a looping volley which Van Heusden just managed to save at full stretch, leaping through the air. It was a good save. And an Exeter defender made a goal saving tackle to deny Rowe after he was set up by Brown minutes later.
With other debutant Andy Holt and Neil Mann linking up well on the left, City continued to press, but the Grecians still managed a late bit of pressure of their own. The defence held firm though, helped immensely by Gary Brabin who put in another strong claim for man of the match.
Grame Power was sent off for the visitors in stoppage time for his scond bookable offence, a rugby tackle on David Brown when the former Manchester United player was through down the right. He was walking before the referee could show him the card.
So another crucial 3 points which maintain our play-off challenge. The team played well in long spells, but did not reach levels they have on many occasions this season. But a win nevertheless, which leaves us in 7th leading up to a crucial away game at Southend.
