Tuesday evening sees City travel to Wiltshire lock horns with Richie Wellen’s Swindon Town side in the EFL Trophy.
The perfect opportunity then, to cast our minds back to the Grecian’s last win at the County Ground on New Year’s Day 2019, when a certain academy graduate named Archie stole the show. Jed Penberthy reminisces:
Swindon 0-2 Exeter City
January 1, 2019
Exeter went into the game in decent form over the hectic Christmas period. Three wins from 4 saw the Grecians sitting in the play-off places but a loss against Grimsby three days earlier did little to help the promotion push.
Matt Taylor made four changes from the 2-1 defeat to the Mariners with Woodman, Law, Lee Martin and Forte returning the side. A change of formula saw Martin sit just behind Forte in the False 9 role.
Swindon got off to the brighter start. Dion Conroy’s rasping effort from 30 yards narrowly missing Christy Pym’s upright.
Matt Jay had earlier replaced the injured Nicky Law and the substitute played a vital role in breaking the deadlock.
Tentative play along the edge of the box saw the onrushing Jay steal in front of Sid Nelson who tripped the City youngster who fell in, uhh, a flamboyant manner. MJ’s superb pressing and quick thinking though reaped the rewards to set Exeter on their way.
Jonathan Forte, replacing the out-going Jayden Stockley, proved his experience by sliding City into a 1-0 lead, 8 minutes before the break.
After the interval Swindon grew back into the game but it seemed they hadn’t received the much-needed shooting boots from Santa a week earlier. Keshi Anderson inexplicably lashed the ball over Pym’s bar with the goal at his mercy, after a smart pull back.
Swindon were made to rue their chances minutes later.
Along the left touchline Woodman found Archie Collins with his back to goal. The teenager drifted inside and found half-a-yard, before unleashing a rocket beyond Vigouroux for his first senior goal for the Grecians. Away End in delirium.
A late corner for Swindon was thwarted by Jake Taylor on the line but the headlines rightly belonged to Archie, who certainly welcomed in the New Year with a bang.
Swindon Town: Vigouroux, Knoyle, Nelson (Landolo 45+2), Woolfenden, Taylor (Twine 72), McCourt, Conroy, Doughty, Anderson, Adebayo (Richards 45), Woolery
Unused: McGlashan, Dunne, Smith, McCormick
Exeter City: Pym, Sweeney, O'Shea, Moxey, Woodman, Ogbene, Taylor, Collins, Law (Jay 20), L. Martin (Tillson 90), Forte (Abrahams 78)
Unused: A. Martin, Hamon, Jay, Oates, Hartridge