Use the player below to listen back to commentary highlights from Xpression FM’s Dougie Wilson and James Beeson at yesterday’s Devon Derby, which was won by Exeter City 3-1 over Plymouth Argyle at St. James Park.
Tag Archives: Devon Derby
Exeter City defeated 1-0 by Torquay penalty
In a feisty Devon Derby, the Grecians lost 1-0 to Torquay United on Monday which ended their undefeated start to 2013.
The Gulls’ Rene Howe’s 17th minute penalty separated the two teams after Steve Tully was deemed to have fouled Billy Bodin in the area. Torquay kicked off the match under St. James’s Park’s floodlights and Sky Sports cameras, and nearly scored eight minutes in after Lee Mansell’s header was superbly saved by Krysiak who tipped it round his right post. The Reds’ Alan Gow produced a shot after a quarter of an hour but the ball flew too high and wide to trouble Gulls’ keeper Michael Poke.
Steve Tully tackled Billy Bodin twice before the Torquay man entered the box at which point Tully tripped Bodin up which gave referee James Adcock no option but to award the penalty. Number 9 Rene Howe stepped up to take it and curled it to the right, sending Krysiak the wrong way. The 545 away fans erupted at the other end of St James’s Park when the deadlock was broken.
Three minutes later Howe was in action again as he beat three City defenders but his curling shot was comfortably saved by the Polish keeper. Jimmy Keohane had a fantastic opportunity to equalise for his team but his 35th minute shot flew inches wide of Poke’s left hand post. Exeter’s new signing, Mark Molesley, also had a great chance to draw level but after some good individual play on the edge of the box, he could only manage to aim the ball straight at Poke.
After half-time, United’s Danny Stevens darted into the box and with the City defenders backing off, he saw an opportunity to shoot but his powerful shot flew wide and smashed against the advertising boards. Gow and Keohane both had decent chances to score before the hour mark but their shots lacked power and direction and were easily saved by Torquay’s keeper. Exeter pushed for an equaliser but could not beat Poke who conceded 15 corners, none of which could be converted by the Grecians.
City’s top scorer, Jamie Cureton, made his 700th league appearance when he was brought on for Doherty on the hour mark but could score. Five minutes from time, the veteran striker had two chances but his acrobatic shot was tipped away by Poke and his shot from outside the box could not be headered in by Bauza who missed the target. After four added minutes, the referee blew for full time with a final score of 0-1.
The result means Exeter drop to fourth in League 2 with 45 points. The three points give Torquay a huge leap leaving them in 13th with 37 points.
Exeter’s next home game will be against Aldershot on Saturday February 2. Students are reminded they can purchase discounted tickets from the Students’ Guild on Streatham campus.
Guy Janaway
Exeter City draw with Plymouth in Devon Derby
Exeter City battled out a 1-1 draw against local rivals Plymouth despite the Pilgrims ending the match with 10 men and Cureton missing two fantastic chances.
The first ten minutes of the match did not produce any clear-cut chances but both sides enjoyed good possession of the ball. Sercombe’s free-kick from the edge of box in the 13th minute was accurate enough but Argyle’s keeper Rene Gilmartin had time to tip it over his bar.
Nine minutes later, Pilgrims’ Moleseley had a fizzing shot from a few yards outside the box but the ball flew past Krysiak’s left post. After the hour mark, City upped the pressure and Gow’s shot from 40 yards fooled back-peddling Gilmartin but the ball flew inches wide of his left post.
Exeter’s Liam Sercombe broke the deadlock in the 34th minute. After receiving Coles’s pass, the striker seemed to take too much time on the ball but his shot from 25 yards on the right flank found the far corner of the net thanks to a slight deflection to make it 1-0.
The 45th minute saw Plymouth’s Lennox powerfully shoot from the right corner of the box but the ball was aimed straight at Krysiak who comfortably saved it. With Paul Tisdale’s men leading after 46 minutes, the referee blew for half time.
Exeter came out of the racing blocks in the second half as Gow produced a fine header a minute in but the ball was theatrically saved by Gilmartin. Seconds later, Grecian’s top scorer Jamie Cureton should have doubled his side lead but had the miss of the season as he was left one-on-one with Gilmartin but his curling shot sailed wide of the right-hand post.
Plymouth enjoyed a good spell of ball possession around the 70th minute and they made it count as Joe Lennox grabbed his first goal of the season to make it 1-1. After Exeter failed to clear a corner, Lennox’s left-footed shot from the edge of the box hit Krysiak’s post and flew in; the 1,226 travelling Plymouth fans were ecstatic behind Krysiak’s goal.
The two sides had not met each other since September 2010 where City defeated Argyle 2-1 and the game could have finished that way had Cureton not missed another golden opportunity in the 84th minute. After Jimmy Keohane threaded the ball through to Cureton, the veteran striker was left one-on-one with the keeper but this time the ball flew past Gilmartin’s right post.
To add to the last few minutes of drama, Blanchard was sent off in the 88th minute after clattering into John O’Flynn and received his second yellow card of the afternoon. After 96 minutes, the referee blew for full-time with the final score at 1-1.
The result leaves Exeter seventh with 34 points in League 2, while Plymouth are struggling in 20th with 22 points. The Reds will play another Devon derby against promotion-chasing Torquay United next Saturday. City’s next home game is against Oxford United on Boxing Day. Students are reminded they can purchase discounted tickets from Student Guild services.
Guy Janaway
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