Exeter City Dominate but fail to score

Report: Exeter City 0 Mansfield 1

Exeter City lost a pulsating clash 1-0 to Mansfield Town, as the wait for a win at St James Park continues.

But the scoreline does little to depict the true story of the game as City threw everything at their opponents and will feel aggrieved not to have taken anything from a game in which they greatly dominated in great swathes and hit the post three times.

After taking the lead on the stroke of half-time, through Lee Stevenson, Mansfield were subject to a second half onslaught of pressure as Exeter pressed and pressed to score. It was a fascinating encounter but ultimately disappointing for Paul Tisdale’s side who now have only picked up one point from their last six home games.

Tis made just the one change to the City starting XI that won 3-1 against Torquay United with 18-year-old Matt Grimes coming in for the injured Matt Gill. That change freed up a place on the bench for Jamie Reid who continues his comeback from an early season groin injury.

The Grecians made a nervy start to the game with Mansfield having the best of the early action, and the first real chance for the visitors came with five minutes on the clock. Anthony Clements played a great ball into Ollie Palmer and he rounded Artur Krysiak and looked set to score with the keeper stranded. But Scot Bennett was on the line to poke the ball away to safety and deny the Stags a glorious opportunity to take the lead.

Minutes later, they were on the attack again as Stevenson dragged his shot just wide of Krysiak’s right-hand post. A third great effort, with Stevenson again involved, saw him tee up Matt Rhead who hit a sweetly struck volley but again it failed to hit the target.

After riding their luck in the opening period, City began to get more into the game. Sam Parkin connected with Danny Butterfield’s free-kick but his header was weak. The chances came thick and fast for Tis’s side, Jordan Moore-Taylor’s diving header was just off-target and there was a strong shout for a penalty when Tom Nichols was bundled over by James Jennings following a low free-kick, again from Butterfield, but referee Darren Bond waived away the pleas.

Exeter continued to clock up chances. A Mansfield clearance squirmed to Alan Gow in the box but his half volley went just over the crossbar and David Wheeler made a storming run down the right but as he darted into the area, his shot was blocked by the commanding Ryan Tafazolli in the Stags defence.

With half-time looming the teams looked set to go into the break honours even. However, City had struggled to deal with Lee Stevenson throughout the half as he caused problems in his role just behind the front pairing of Palmer and Rhead. And he was to have the final say. In a lovely worked move, Dempster played a long ball, which Rhead headed forward. Palmer then flicked it through for Stevenson, who was on hand to net from a tight angle. Much to the frustration of the Grecians who will have felt they had the best of the first-half play and enough chances to have the advantage themselves.

Half-time: Exeter City 0 Mansfield Town 1