Exeter City draw after lengthy delay

EXETER CITY were pegged-back twice by Carlisle United during an eventful 2-2 draw at St James Park.

Loanee striker Jayden Stockley had given City an early lead in the seventh minute, before the Grecians’ early momentum was disrupted as a fire-scare in the Stagecoach Stand saw the game suspended for just over an hour. Charlie Wyke then levelled for the Cumbrians just after the half-hour mark, before David Wheeler’s goal with eleven minutes remaining was cancelled out by Hallam Hope.

City were unchanged from the side that beat Cambridge United at the Abbey Stadium last weekend, with academy product Ollie Watkins selected to continue on the left-flank as he looked to build on his rich vein of form. For the visitors, fifteen-goal top-scorer Jabo Ibehre was ruled out with injury, meaning that Charlie Wyke and Hallam Hope were partnered to lead the line for the Cumbrians.

Kicking towards the Big Bank it was the hosts who dominated the opening stages of the game, and their efforts were rewarded in the seventh minute. After a long pump upfield was flicked on by David Wheeler, Jayden Stockley was quick to latch on to the loose ball before firing home via a deflection off Carlisle keeper Mark Gillespie.

City’s early momentum was disrupted, though, as a fire-scare in the Stagecoach Stand resulted in fans being evacuated onto the pitch at St James Park just moments after Stockley’s opener. An hour of inspections ensued before the authorities deemed the stand safe for spectators to return to, and the referee got things back under-way.

With the pitch cleared of spectators, the Grecians continued to look lively after play had resumed. Lee Holmes was looking the most likely to make something happen, with the City winger coming close with two chances in quick succession mid-way through the half. First he curled a free-kick just wide of the left-post in the twenty-third minute, before his dinked cross from the left-hand side a minute later only narrowly alluded Stockley at the back-post.

The Grecians were looking good value for their lead, but found themselves pegged back in the thirty-second minute. A defensive mix-up relinquished possession to Wyke on the right-hand side, before the young striker brushed off a couple of challenges and prodded past Bobby Olejnik from close-range.

City didn’t let their heads drop, and they could have re-taken the lead five minutes after Wyke had levelled the scoring. A through-ball sent Wheeler clean through on goal, but Gillespie did well to spread himself and deny the winger an eighth goal of the season.

The final minutes of the half passed by without any serious chances at either end, and the two teams went in for the interval one-hour-and-fifty-five minutes after the three o’clock kick-off.

HALF-TIME: EXETER CITY 1–1 CARLISLE UNITED