The Grecians face one of their toughest tests of the season on Tuesday as second placed Crewe Alexandra visit St James Park for this top of the table clash.
Dean Moxey was on hand to score in a 1-1 draw in Cheshire in the last meeting between the two sides in October, but ahead of the game we are looking back at a classic encounter, when City came out on top in a 2017 clash.
Exeter City 4-0 Crewe Alexandra
February 4, 2017
St James Park
The Grecians came into this match on an eleven match unbeaten run in League Two, and they would make it eight goals in two matches as they thrashed sorry Crewe thanks to three second half goals.
Paul Tisdale’s side got off to the perfect start just eight minutes into the gamr when Jordan Moore-Taylor poked in Lloyd James’ free kick after it was headed across the box.
An injury to striker Ollie Watkins soured the occasion for the hosts having already lost Reuben Reid in the warm up, and they were almost left feeling sick when George Copper smashed the crossbar for Crewe, who were looking for only their seventh win of the season.
Despite City’s lead, it was Crewe who were enjoying plenty of chances and the Grecians were indebted to goalkeeper Christy Pym who was on hand to make several good saves, before City doubled their lead.
It was David Wheeler who made it two, heading in from close range after Liam McAlinden’s cross, before the same player put City out of sight when he drilled home from the edge of the area after a lay off Robbie Simpson.
The away side were then reduced to ten men when substitute Charlie Kirk – who is now ripping up trees for Alex this season – was sent off for a tackle on Jake Taylor.
Lloyd James added a fourth for City five minutes from time as he curled home from 25 yards out. The result lifted City to fourth in the table.
Line-ups:
Exeter City: Pym, Stacey, Brown, Moore-Taylor (Croll), Woodman, Wheeler, James, Taylor, Harley (Grant), Watkins (Simpson), McAlinden
Subs not used: Olejnik, Tillson, Grant, Oakley, Sweeney.
Crewe Alexandra: Garratt, Turton, Ray (Bakayogo), Nugent, Guthrie, Cooke, Hollands (Kirk), Jones, Cooper, Bowery, Kiwomya (Dagnall)
Subs not used: Richards, Wintle, Ng, Ainley.
Red card: Kirk
Attendance: 4,534