Exeter City had to settle for a goalless draw against Truro City in their second pre-season friendly.
The Grecians, who named two different XI for each half, had the best chance of the match when Ryan Bowman’s back post header from a corner was cleared off the line.
However, they had to withstand a physical bombardment, at times, from the White Tigers as they hit the ball long to their tall striker at every opportunity.
However, that was a battle both Tom Parkes and Gary Warren seem to relish during the opening half, and despite a couple of efforts narrowly going wide of Jonny Maxted’s goal – when City gave away possession cheaply in their own half – Matt Taylor’s side remained untroubled.
At the other end, it was Randell Williams who looked City’s most dangerous player but a couple of his mazy runs into the box were stopped by some last-ditch defending just as he was looking to pull the trigger.
The raft of changes at the interval saw a change in tactics from the City manager as well as he played with two up top – Ryan Bowman and Ben Seymour – but got Lee Martin to position himself just behind the strikers to offer more support to the front players.
That seemed to work as City looked more threatening after the break with Nicky Law having a close-range shot saved by the keeper and Lee Martin having a long-range effort bravely blocked by a home defender.
However, it wasn’t until the final 20 minutes of the match that the Grecians really piled on the pressure. First Bowman had his header cleared off the line and then Lee Martin whipped a free-kick towards the bottom corner that was superbly tipped behind by the Truro keeper.
Jack Sparkes then had a couple of efforts in the closing stages, one which was comfortably saved by the keeper and another that was blocked, but ultimately the home side defended well enough – with a team largely made up of trialists – to take a share of the spoils.
Exeter City first-half XI: Maxted; Sweeney, Warren, Parkes, Moxey; Randall, Tillson, Collins, Williams; Jay, Fisher.
Second-half XI: Ward; Dyer, A Martin, Hartridge, Sparkes; Law, Taylor, Dean, Martin; Seymour, Bowman.