Exeter City fight hard to secure a point

Match report: Bury 1 Exeter City 1

Exeter City and Bury shared the points with a 1-1 draw at Gigg Lane.

After seeing off some early pressure, the Grecians took the lead within the first quarter of an hour as an Alex Nicholls free-kick bounced back into play and was volleyed in by Arron Davies.

However it was former Exeter man Daniel Nardiello that levelled up the scores just before the break, heading in a cross at the far post.

City manager Paul Tisdale made two changes to the starting XI, as Graham Cummins and Christian Ribeiro were named as subs. Clinton Morrison was a starter, as was Jamie McAllister who came in to make a debut.

Duo Scot Bennett and David Noble were missing with injury, and James Hamon’s knee injury consigned him to the bench.

The first chance of the game fell the way of the hosts as Andrew Tutte had an effort from just inside the area – Danny Butterfield blocked bravely and Nardiello hooked the volley over on the rebound.

And then the Shakers came close to opening the scoring in freak fashion as Matt Oakley’s clearance cannoned off the shins of Nicky Adam and just wide of Christy Pym’s upright.

But at the other end City began to show their ability with the ball and were soon rewarded with the opening goal.

Some good build-up play saw Morrison lay in Sercombe, whose shot was blocked, but then Nicholls drew a foul as he nipped in on the follow-up.

And it was a curling free-kick by Nicholls that hit the bar and fell into the path of Davies, who volleyed in past Nick Pope with power.

At the other end, it was Chris Hussey that came close to levelling with a free-kick for the hosts. The full-back took a set-piece from a wide angle on the right and saw his swirling effort cannon off Christy Pym’s bar and back into play.

Despite trailing, the hosts were still keen to get the ball down and play on a bobbly surface. City’s defence wasn’t giving away chances too readily, meaning that Joe Riley was forced into shooting from long range and missed the target by a distance.

Centre-half Adam El-Abd was the next to chance his arm from distance, and Pym did well to hold despite the ball bobbling on its way through. Then a ball forward meant for Nardiello caused some confusion and Pym did well to block out Nicky Adams on the follow-up.

However in the final minute of the first half, the scores were level again. A pinpoint cross from the right by Craig Jones was set perfectly for Nardiello to attack at the far post, and he bulleted a header past Pym for the equaliser.

City had a final chance to take a lead into the break when Nichols won a free-kick out wide on the right, but McAllister’s effort cleared the frame of Pope’s goal.

Half-time: Bury 1 Exeter City 1