Exeter City U21s take it to Extra Time in Quarter Finals
Grecians bow out with heads held high
Exeter City's impressive run in the Under-21 Premier League Cup came to an end as an enthralling St James Park clash with Burnley had to be decided by extra-time. Burnley substitute Nathan Lowe struck the winner early-on in the extra period after it had ended 2-2 at the 90-minute mark.
A dramatic late Tom Nichols equaliser had previously ensured that the game would take at least an additional 30 minutes in order to be settled; the Grecians having hit back twice to level. Midfielder Archie Love twice gave the Clarets the lead, with Jimmy Keohane claiming City’s first reply.
Exeter City’s Under-21s hosted a young Burnley side in the rearranged Barclays Under-21 Premier League Cup quarter-final at St James Park, with a prize of a semi-final trip to Manchester City awaiting the victors.
In a fast-paced opening it was Luke Gallagher, the Burnley winger, who had the game’s first shot on four minutes, and Christy Pym collected comfortably. Jack Errington just got himself in the way of Jamie Reid as the Exeter City man pulled the trigger after a Tom Nichols flick, before Jordan Tillson headed over from the resulting corner. Errington did well to again clear for a corner when under pressure from Reid just minutes later.
With the Grecians looking dangerous on the counter, an eye-catching long-range pass forward from Matt Grimes began a move which culminated in David Wheeler forcing another corner. Nichols might have made a better contact when he found himself in behind the Clarets’ defence on the 20-minute mark, but it was Burnley who took the lead shortly after – Archie Love side-footed low into the corner from the rebound after a smart block just seconds earlier.
They almost went two ahead immediately, as Micah Evans took the ball down Exeter’s left wing and crossed for Jason Gilchrist, but the forward was unable to generate any real power with his effort, Christy Pym tidying up. Love had another rebound to attack in a similar area to that which he scored, but the midfield player could only find the Big Bank with his second effort of the tie.
It was a little too close for comfort as Christy Pym just beat the on-rushing Gilchrist to a ball over the top of the Grecians’ backline just after the half-hour, and there was also a thin line between City equalising moments later – Jimmy Keohane opted to take a touch to steady himself when a bouncing ball fell kindly for him, it inadvertently came off his hand and the attack was brought to a halt. Jake Gosling put a left-footed effort well wide just before half-time.
Half-time: Exeter City U21 0 Burnley U21 1
Tom Nichols headed over from a David Wheeler cross in a decent chance to kick off the half for the Grecians. Burnley goalkeeper Danijel Nizic did very well to clear the ball ahead of Wheeler after the Exeter City man was the benefactor of a very fortunate deflection – there was just an inch between the two in the challenge. Tom Nichols missed a glorious opportunity for the leveller when the ball fell to him in space with only the Australian Nizic to beat.
For the full report go to http://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/news/article/report-exeter-2-burnley-3-a.e...
