Exeter City come up short at home

Match report: Exeter City 1 Hartlepool 2

Exeter City’s League 2 winning run came to an end as Hartlepool United earned a 2-1 win at St James Park.

All of the goals came in the second half – Michael Woods’ first United goal handed the away side the lead three minutes into the second period, before Charlie Wyke doubled their advantage.

Christian Ribeiro grabbed a consolation for City, but there would be no points for the home side today.

With Jordan Moore-Taylor out of the Exeter City line-up after sustaining another broken foot at the Ricoh Arena on Tuesday, Craig Woodman came back into Paul Tisdale’s starting XI after passing a late fitness test.

Three others who came through pre-match checks were Graham Cummins, who began up front in place of Tom Nichols, and David Wheeler and David Noble, who took places on the bench. In all there were three changes to the Grecians’ XI – the other two were Matt Grimes and Christy Pym, who returned from England Under-20, having seen off Germany in midweek.

19-year-old defender Dan Jones continued in the managerless Pools’ defence having started their midweek Johnstone’s Paint Trophy exit at home to Sheffield United – his only previous appearance for Hartlepool came in a 4-2 League 2 defeat to Mansfield Town in March.

The experienced Matthew Bates, formerly of Middlesbrough and Bristol City, represented the only change that caretakers Sam Collins and Stephen Pears made to their JPT side in midweek – he came in for the youngster Kieran Green. Pools were without winger Jack Compton, who underwent knee surgery on Thursday – it was Compton who ran the show as United won 3-0 at St James Park almost a year ago to the day.

It was young Dan Jones who might have carved out the game’s first chance with a ball over the top of the City defence, but it was just too strong for the former Chelsea and Leeds midfielder Michael Woods. Jones was again involved with an attended volley as Pools got closer with three minutes gone. A Matt Grimes free-kick won by Scot Bennett was comfortably saved by Hartlepool goalkeeper and captain Scott Flinders to close the opening five minutes.

Jones was certainly busy in the opening minutes, as his dangerous strike from range forced a corner with ten minutes gone. He headed against the bar from the resulting set-piece, though the Grecians eventually managed to clear their lines. Matt Grimes struck a sweet left-footed effort in the twentieth minute.

Hartlepool defender Scott Harrison made a tackle in the nick of time to deny Jimmy Keohane a one-on-one opportunity at the halfway point of the first period. Welshmen Arron Davies and Christian Ribeiro produced some smart build-up play before the former crossed menacingly, while Connor Riley-Lowe attempted something similar on the other flank. Matt Grimes unleashed an unbelievable effort out of nothing that had Flinders pulling off a top-drawer save on twenty-nine minutes.

After Jimmy Keohane had attempted an ambitious volley after thirty-three, the Irishman was fouled by Matthew Bates on the edge of the area. Matt Grimes’ free-kick hit the wall and Hartlepool’s break after the ensuing corner was fast, threatening and, in the end, comical, as Michael Woods overran the ball out for a goal-kick and then had to take evasive action to leapfrog the advertising hoardings and immerse himself with the Exeter City supporters in the Big Bank.