Exeter City 0 Luton Town 0: Match report

Exeter City came within inches of victory at home to Luton Town but had to settle for a 0-0 draw.

It was a game of limited chances throughout the 90 minutes, but Ollie Watkins came closest to getting the breakthrough as his volley cannoned off the crossbar.

City manager Paul Tisdale welcomed back Troy Brown to the starting line-up for the first time since August 27. The 26-year-old defender played the last 25 minutes of last Saturday’s defeat to Carlisle United but had spent two-and-half-months out injured prior to that.

There was also a place on the bench for Ryan Harley, who is also on his way back from a lengthy spell out injured. However, Lee Holmes was ruled out with concussion meaning that Liam McAlinden, having impressed in Tuesday night’s 1-0 win over Leyton Orient, kept his place on the left side of midfield.

It was a quiet first half in terms of chances, with City looking well organized and solid at the back along with their visitors from Bedfordshire.

It took City until the 17th minute to register their first chance on target as Jake Taylor swung a cross to the near post which David Wheeler glanced into the hands of Christian Walton.

Luton then registered their first effort at goal after Glen Rea won a free-kick off McAlinden, but when Alan Sheehan shifted the dead ball into the path of Cameron McGeehan he scuffed his effort off target.

However, the former Norwich City youngster went closer with his next strike at goal as it took a deflection of a Grecian defender before drifting out for a corner. 
The best effort of the half came with two minutes to go though as Pierce Sweeney, who had a penalty wrongly given against him when these two sides met earlier in the month, hit a first-time volley just wide after Lloyd James' cross was headed out of the Luton area by James Justin.