Reserve tie ends in parity
A Grecians reserve team drew 1-1 with their Bristol City counterparts this afternoon at St James’ Park.The Robins’ early strike put them ahead, before a headed goal by Jimmy Keohane with quarter of an hour remaining earned City a draw.
Both teams put early pressure on down the channels, with all on display keen to show their first-team credentials.
However City fell behind early when a brave block only served to deflect the ball past the helpless Rhys Evans between the sticks
As the heavens poured open on a wet afternoon, the Grecians had two chances in quick succession to equalise, only to be denied on the crossbar on both occasions.
Firstly, Jamie Reid cut in from the left wing to drill goalwards but the ball cannoned back off the underside of the woodwork, then secondly a low cross from Elliott Chamberlain found Reid whose flick touched the bar on the way over.
Chamberlain then had a chance of his own to equalise after beating the offside trap from Jordan Tillson’s punt forward, but the covering defender recovered to clear.
Jimmy Keohane then came close when he drilled a shot from outside the area but it was touched onto the post, and the follow-up just squirmed away from Chamberlain.
City managed to claw back an equaliser with 15 minutes left to play, as a pin-point cross from the right by Tillson found the head of Keohane who arrived unmarked, and nodded downwards into the bottom corner.
Despite the game being billed a ‘friendly’, a few committed tackles were flying as all were keen to impress their onlookers, as Paul Tisdale and Steve Perryman in particular watched on. Scot Bennett in particular drew a scything foul after a mazy run had almost earned him a sight of goal.
Evans had to be alert again towards the end of the game to keep the scores level as a shot drilled from a tight angle threated his near post, but he turned it round the frame of the goal.
It proved the last telling chance as the game finished 1-1.
Exeter City starting XI: Evans; Tillson, Dawson, Moore-Taylor, Woodman; Amankwaah, Bennett, Keohane, Davies; Chamberlain, Reid.