Exeter City settle for a draw, again

Match report: Exeter City 1 Morecambe 1

Alex Nicholls cancelled out Aaron McGowan’s opener as the Grecians played out a 1-1 draw with Morecambe at St James Park.

The Shrimps’ goal came against the run of play after a quarter of an hour, and Nicholls’ equaliser – controlling a Tom Nichols cross and firing in – came ten minutes from time.

However Nichols received his marching orders in the game’s last action after an exasperated swing of his foot caught an opposition player.

Four changes were made to the Exeter City line-up that saw off Cheltenham at Whaddon Road last weekend, as James Hamon replaced the injured Christy Pym in goal, Tom McCready came in for the sidelined Liam Sercombe, and Lee Holmes and Clinton Morrison replaced David Wheeler and Graham Cummins up front.

Craig Woodman, Danny Butterfield and Alex Nicholls all completed their returns to injury as they were named amongst the replacements.

Morecambe, who drew 1-1 on their relatively short trip to Carlisle last time out, had Andreas Arestidou in goal, with Liverpool loanee Danny Ward away on international duty. Andrew Fleming partnered Jack Redshaw up front and McGowan was in in place of Shaun Beeley.

A good tackle from Morecambe captain Mark Hughes denied Clinton Morrison a chance for a quick opener, with Lee Holmes orchestrating a strong passing move after the Grecians had quickly dispossessed the visitors from the kick-off. McCready tried one from the corner of the box against his former employers only for Arestidou to catch with the game barely a minute old.

With City on the offensive, Holmes crossed low and dangerously from the left, and the trio of Morrison, Christian Ribeiro and Nichols were all left ruing the missed opportunity, none of them making a connection as the ball fizzed across the face of Arestidou’s goal. Then a turn-and-shot from McCready, receiving from Ribeiro, went right of the goalkeeper’s left-hand post in City’s best effort so far after 12 minutes.

After all of Exeter’s early pressure, it was hard on Paul Tisdale’s side when Morecambe took the lead after 16 minutes. A fine, flowing move McGowan finding himself with time and space on the right side of James Hamon’s box to slide the ball into the corner for his first goal in professional football.

Nichols went down under the attention of Alex Kenyon, only for referee Michael Bull to wave away the City appeals. Nichols would then rush his next chance, scuffing off target in more space than he probably thought. The Nichols/Kenyon rivalry would continue the City frontman was bloodied after being clattered by his adversary, though again the referee gave nothing the home side’s way.

City supporters were incensed by the officiating from the man in the middle came when Lee Holmes was felled on the edge of Morecambe’s area after a fast break – the Shrimps’ backline immediately pounced on the City player, not allowing him to return to his feet, yet the referee adjudged Holmes guilty of a hand-ball. Clinton Morrison side-footed Harley’s cutback wide as the half entered two allocated minutes of injury time.

Half-time: Exeter City 0 Morecambe 1