Nicholls and Wheeler fire Grecians into second round
Line-UpsSwindon Town: Vigoroux, Thompson (capt), Ormonde-Ottewill (Brophy 84'), Robert (Randall 62'), Williams, Turnbull, Kasim, Byrne, Stewart, Obika, Rossi-Brando.
Subs: Belford, Marshall, Rodgers, Barry, Iandolo.
Goals: Obika 65'
Exeter City: Olejnik, Butterfield (Oakley 72'), McAllister (capt), Ribeiro, Harley, Davies, Nicholls (Hoskins 80'), Nichols (Woodman 75'), Wheeler, Tillson, Brown.
Subs: Hamon, Morrison, Reid, Oyeleke.
Goals: Nicholls 37', Wheeler 41'
Report
EXETER CITY survived an onslaught of second-half corners to book their place in the Capital One Cup Second Round with a 2-1 win at the County Ground over Swindon Town.
Goals from Alex Nicholls and David Wheeler handed the Grecians a 2-0 lead at the break, while Jonathan Obika pulled one back for the hosts in the second half.
Jordan Tillson and Danny Butterfield came into the Exeter City side in the only two changes from the starting line-up that beat Yeovil Town at St James Park on the opening day. Swindon boss Mark Cooper made just one change to the side that blew Bradford City away on the opening day, with hat-trick hero Nathan Byrne retaining his place.
The action at the County Ground started slowly, with League 1 Swindon enjoying much the better of possession in the first ten minutes. Nathan Byrne and Jonathan Obika looked the Robins' most potent threats, but neither managed to penetrate the well-organised Exeter City backline.
That was something that they were made to pay for - as with just under ten minutes to go in the period, Jamie McAllister played a ball forward along the left flank. Tom Nichols picked it up out wide, using great strength to hold off Swindon captain Nathan Thompson before laying off the ball in the path of Alex Nicholls. Nicholls burst through the gap in the middle of the Swindon defence and produced a calm finish to hand City the lead.
With the Robins rocking, City struck again just a few minutes later. Nicholls was involved again, snaking his way into the penalty area before unleashing a shot which Swindon keeper Lawrence Vigoroux parried into the path of David Wheeler, who had an easy finish into an empty net. City went in at the break leading their third-tier hosts 2-0.
HALF-TIME: SWINDON TOWN 0-2 EXETER CITY
An arsenal of Swindon corners peppered the Exeter City box in the early stages of the second half, but Swindon never really threatened up to the hour, with Bobby Olejnik's save from Fabien Robert denying their best effort.
But a Swindon goal did come on sixty-five minutes, as Jonathan Obika's thunderbolt rippled the back of the net from just outside the area. Obika aimed a barrage of shots at the City goal in the remainder of the second half, though fortunately for the Grecians, most were off-target.
City held their nerve - they now also hold a place in Thursday's Round 2 draw.
FULL-TIME: SWINDON TOWN 1-2 EXETER CITY
Attendance: 4,693 (506 away)
Man of the Match: Christian Ribeiro