Grecians defeat Westcounty rivals
Exeter City’s Under-18s side returned to competitive action with a superb 1-0 victory against Bristol Rovers.
Although selected individuals had featured for City’ s Under-21 side in recent weeks, as well as some of the team featuring in the St Luke’s Challenge Cup loss to Plymouth Parkway in February, a friendly match against Swindon Town was all the game time the Under-18s had had since December. But despite it being their first league fixture for 10 weeks, there were no sign off deficiencies in amongst the Grecians’ ranks.
Rovers had undergone the season unbeaten up until the clash, however Lee Skyrme and his boys headed north up the M5 with a strategy, and the complete performance was settled by just a solitary goal.
“I’m very pleased with the performance and result. This was one of the best under-18 performances that I have seen, and I thought our guys’ professionalism was excellent.
“Together, we came up with a game plan, and the lads went and carried it out perfectly on the pitch, and we got the result we deserved.”
Exeter were rarely troubled in defence, however going forward, the Devon club were menacing as ever, playing the game and keeping the ball extremely well.
And their efforts were rewarded with the only goal of the game. After James Byrne won the ball back in midfield, playmaker Jason Pope fed the clinical Matt Jay, who finished expertly past the onrushing goalkeeper to settle the match.
That result now puts Exeter in fourth place, just four points off the top of the table in a five-way fight for the league title.