Late drama sets up FA Cup replay

Exeter City set up an FA Cup replay with Forest Green Rovers after a pulsating 3-3 draw at the New Lawn.

After Christian Doidge had given the home side the lead, City fought back with goals from Jordan Moore-Taylor and Jayden Stockley, before Rovers rallied to lead 3-2 but for a late Stockley header in a match which saw three very late goals.

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The Grecians made one change to the side that started the 2-0 win against Accrington Stanley last week with Troy Brown, who went off injured in that match, replaced by Troy Archibald-Henville who came in to play alongside Pierce Sweeney and Jordan Moore-Taylor in a defensive back three.

The home side had the first real chance of the match on 11 minutes when the ball was played centrally to striker, Doidge, who turned well to drive at the City back four before shooting from distance, forcing Christy Pym into a smart save down low.

But it was the Grecians who were seeing more of the ball in the opening period and they almost found the net shortly after Doidge’s attempt when a good cross from Pierce Sweeney met the head of Liam McAlinden, who tried to flick his effort towards goal, but was unable to keep it on target.

Pym was then forced into another save from a distant attempt after Rovers retrieved the ball from their free-kick which had been cleared before Scott Laird unleashed a powerful effort, but again Pym was equal to it.

Rovers then took the lead on 25 minutes when a precise ball through the middle from Reece Brown found its way behind the City defence and Doidge did well to finish coolly through the legs of the onrushing Pym, giving the home side the advantage.

Jake Taylor then had an excellent chance to level the tie on 32 minutes when the Grecians broke well through McAlinden’s pace, before the forward found Taylor unmarked, but as the City number 25 went to shoot, Laird made a crucial recovery to poke the ball away.

Jayden Stockley then had two headers in two minutes at goal, with the former saved comfortably by Bradley Collins, before a lofted cross from McAlinden to his strike partner saw Stockley fail to hit the target as the ball nestled wide meaning the Grecians would go into the break trailing.

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