Exeter City's wait for a win goes on

Match report: Exeter City 1 York City 1

Exeter City and York City played out a 1-1 draw at St James Park, as the wait for the first win of 2014/15 continued for both sides.

The teams were level for just seven minutes, before David Wheeler rose brilliantly above marker Femi Ilesanmi to head home Matt Oakley’s delivery from deep.

However it was centre-half Keith Lowe that earned York’s equaliser, heading in a swinging corner from Luke Summerfield with ten minutes left on the clock.

Exeter had to defend solidly throughout but also created chances to win the game. Lowe was denied a second with the last action of the game as the teams shared the spoils.

David Wheeler, Arron Davies and Aaron Dawson all came in to start for the Grecians, while Danny Butterfield missed out from the squad completely and injury also kept Tom Nichols and new signing Christian Ribeiro out.

City captain Scot Bennett began the game as a centre-forward once again, a position he was successfully deployed in during the previous season alongside Graham Cummins in what resembled more of a 4-4-2.

The Grecians had the early impetus and were troubling the Minstermen’s defence into plenty of early problems, with Bennett in particular working the rearguard hard. Oakley’s corner was just an inch too high for the unmarked Cummins, whose effort looped up and over.

But Exeter soon took the lead that their bright start deserved. It was a ball from deep from Oakley, who was deployed in an unfamiliar centre-half role, which Wheeler met with a giant leap to direct the ball past the helpess Michael Ingham.

York might have been back on terms merely minutes later when Tom Platt ran most of the pitch unchallenged and delivered for Anthony Straker, who could only hit the side netting from a narrowing angle.

Exeter kept the tempo high and some battling on the right flank by Dawson and Liam Sercombe allowed Matt Grimes some space to shoot, only for a deflection to take the sting out of the attack. Dawson and Sercombe combined soon after with similar consequence, as the Exeter-born midfielder’s effort was closed down and found its way to the goalkeeper.

The Minstermen ended the half strongly, but Exeter’s defence were meeting the challenge. The closest the visitors came two getting on terms was through a Keith Lowe header, meeting a Luke Summerfield corner at the far post, but it sailed wide.

Half-time: Exeter City 1 York City 0