Another home disappointment for Exeter City
It was another home disappointment for Exeter City as they went down 1-0 at St James Park to fellow strugglers Northampton Town.
Chris Wilder’s side scored the game’s only goal in the second half through a well-taken finish by substitute Ian Morris, the Irishman’s first touch since coming on.
Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale named a completely unchanged starting line-up to face Chris Wilder’s Northampton Town tonight at St James Park.
Both the Grecians’ starting XI and the bench looked the same as they were for Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Dagenham & Redbridge, and that meant Scot Bennett made his 100th appearance in an Exeter City shirt, some achievement for the 23-year-old defender.
Cobblers boss Wilder made three alterations to his eleven which drew at high-flying Scunthorpe: former Grecian Chris Hackett, Emile Sinclair and Brighton loanee Ben Dickenson coming in for Alan Connell, Morris and the suspended Ricky Ravenhill.
David Wheeler had a golden opportunity to put the Grecians in front in the game’s first chance after eight minutes. Some great forward play from Sam Parkin saw him deliver a dangerous cross across the face of goal on the turn – it eluded the stretching Tom Nichols but reached Wheeler at the far post, the young winger side-footing into the side-netting, and his exasperation afterwards indicating that he felt he should have done better. Wheeler tried to make amends by whipping a great ball from the right moments later that was just crying out for a head to attack it, but unfortunately for the Grecians none came.
Down the other end Artur Krysiak was quick on his feet to confidently collect a Ben Dickenson cross from the Northampton left. On the whole Krysiak wasn’t truly tested in the first 20 minutes, with former Torquay striker John Marquis finding difficulty keeping himself on the right side of the last Exeter defender. Matt Oakley’s close-range shot was blocked after he was delivered a flick from Parkin, before the first chance for the visitors came and went as Emile Sinclair fired over from a tight angle.
Tom Nichols just couldn’t find the space to shoot as he twisted and turned in the penalty area, and then headed a corner wide moments later. The young striker had a shot blocked with two minutes of first-half normal time to go, while the Grecians had one last half-chance, as David Wheeler’s header escaped the grasp of Mathias Kouo-Doumbé but never made its way to the waiting Sam Parkin.
Half-time: Exeter City 0 Northampton Town 0
For the full report visit http://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/fixtures-results/match-report/?matchid=363...
