City lose Devon derby

Plymouth Argyle were 3-1 victors in the Devon Derby at St James Park, with their performance capped by a Reuben Reid hat-trick.

A to-and-fro start in front of a near-full house at St James Park was edged in Plymouth’s favour when Argyle top scorer Reuben Reid was the benefactor of a miscued Bobby Reid touch. Reid should have scored again moments late when he had time to turn and shoot, but was punished for not doing so when Arron Davies made it to Jordan Moore-Taylor’s cross in what was the last meaningful action of the first half, and the first time Plymouth had conceded in their last four games.

A penalty conceded by Matt Oakley allowed Reid the chance for his second of the game, and that was the catalyst for a classic derby ruckus – Olly Lee was shown a straight red card for a foul on Tom Nichols, shortly before Clinton Morrison had a goal chalked off for offside. Reid completed his trifecta on 71 minutes, and the points were sealed in the visitors’ favour.

Five ex-Academy players started the second Devon derby of the season for the Grecians, with Christy Pym, Jordan Moore-Taylor, Liam Sercombe, Scot Bennett and Tom Nichols the home-grown Exeter City players in Paul Tisdale’s line-up to meet John Sheridan’s Argyle. Bennett returned to the XI in place of Danny Butterfield, who was sidelined with injury, while Clinton Morrison took a place up front with Alex Nicholls starting this one on the bench.

For the 100th competitive meeting between these two sides, Argyle fielded an unchanged line-up to that which beat Cambridge United 2-0 at Home Park last time out, the Pilgrims’ third win in a row.