For the first time since 1931, Exeter City completed the double against Bristol Rovers with a fantastic 2-1 win at the Memorial Stadium.
Caleb Watts opened the scoring with a fantastic first time finish 11 minutes in before Reece Cole doubled that lead with a fantastic volley off the top of the bar just before the break. The hosts halved that deficit midway through the second 45 but the Grecians held on with a resilient defence performance to seal all three points on the road.
For City's shortest away trip of the League One season, Gary Caldwell made four changes from Tuesday's draw against Wigan. Now donning a mask due to his facial injury, Ed Turns returned to the eleven, slotting into the right of the back three, while Jack Fitzwater moved inside to the centre. Josh Magennis was absent with a hip knock, and so Fitzwater took the armband, while Tony Yogane and Kevin McDoanld also came into the side.
First half
A slow start from the Grecians may have had some in the away end worrying, with Rovers dominating much of the early ball, but that didn’t matter when City went ahead with their first attack of the game.
In the 10th minute, Ilmari Niskanen drove forward down the right, beating his full-back and sending a cross in. A defending, tussling with Sonny Cox, half-cleared the ball to the edge of the box, where Caleb Watts strode in and fired home first time for 1-0!
Rovers responded with a great chance of their own, but Whitworth denied them with a fantastic save. Finding room down their right, Romaine Sawyers drilled a low ball across the box for Ruel Sotiriou who shot first time, but the Palace loanee was equal to it, blocking the ball out for a corner.
Niskanen appeared to be getting back to his best throughout the game, and brought a great direct pass from McDonald down eight minutes before half-time on the edge of the box. From there, the Finn cut back, taking a defender out of the game before playing in Reece Cole, but his shot was held by the keeper.
City’s number 12 would get another chance before the half was done though, and this time there was no chance of the keeper getting on the end of it. Niskanen again found joy on the right and sent a ball in, which Cole met with a delightful volley, clipping off the crossbar and in for 2-0 minutes before the break!
Second half
The hosts looked to get on the attack early in the second half and their half-time switch Luke Thomas flashed an early dangerous ball through the box, but it couldn’t find the target or a Gas teammate.
Minor fouls in both directions disrupted the flow of the game post-restart, and neither team could find a rhythm to their play. Gary Caldwell made a triple substitution on the hour mark, and while City gained territory they couldn’t find another killer chance, but the Gas did in the 70th minute.
A long ball forward wasn’t dealt with by City, and the bouncing ball ended up in the Grecians’ box. Ruel Sotiriou nipped in front of an Exeter man and lashed the ball home from close range, halving the deficit.
Just minutes later Kofi Shaw thought he levelled proceedings at the Memorial Ground, but his fiercely struck effort from 30 yards out rippled the side netting, tricking many home supporters.
Sotiriou was released on the counter with 12 minutes to go as the Gas piled forward after Niskanen’s cut back was cleared, but there was Turns with a vital sliding tackle, perfectly timed to put the ball out for a corner.
City could’ve found a third through Joel Colwill in the 83rd minute when McMillan was found breaching Rovers’ offside trap inside the box. The Scotsman laid it back to the Cardiff loanee who shot first time, but his effort went agonisingly wide.
The Grecians held on though through the rest of normal time and eight additional minutes, for a massive three points on the road in Bristol!
Next up for the Grecians is a big Good Friday clash against Burton Albion. Get your tickets now!
Bristol Rovers: Ward, Wilson (C), Ward (Thomas, 46'), Sotiriou, Sawyers, Taylor, O'Donkor (Dewsbury, 69'), Swinkels (Sinclair, 69'), Butcher (Hutchinson, 46'), Hunt, Shaw.
Substitutes not used: Hall (GK), Moore, Mola
Goal: Sotiriou 70'.
Exeter City: Whitworth, McMillan, Turns, Fitzwater (C), Hartridge, Niskanen, McDonald (Woods, 60'), Cole (Colwill, 60'), Watts (Francis, 74'), Yogane (Harper, 60'), Cox (MacDonald, 85').
Substitutes not used: Woods, Francis, Oluwabori, Harper, A. MacDonald, Richards.
Goals: Watts 11', Cole 42'
Yellow cards: McDonald 32', Watts 56', Whitworth 79'
Attendance: 9508 (1359 away)