Josh Magennis' fourth goal in three matches earned the Grecians their first three points of 2025 in a 1-0 win away at Cambridge United.
The Northern Irishman's header midway through the second half was the difference between the two sides, as City capped off a resounding defensive performance with a win.
For City's second successive 12.30pm kick-off away from home, Gary Caldwell made three changes from the side that took Nottingham Forest to penalties on Tuesday night. Alex Hartridge and Joel Colwill, who were both cup tied, came into the XI, as did Caleb Watts. After his deadline day move from Halifax Town, Andrew Oluwabori was named on the bench for the first time in City colours.
First half
City threatened first with a corner inside the opening 120 seconds. Ryan Trevitt’s delivery was kept alive in the box by Caleb Watts, who laid it back to Ed Francis, but his fiercely struck shot sailed over the bar.
The Grecians started with confidence, and Ilmari Niskanen was next to try his luck after keeping Vincent Harper’s 50-yard ball in play. Cutting in from the byline on the edge of the box, the Finn worked himself an angle and struck with his left foot, but his curling effort also cleared the crossbar.
Watts looked up for the battle in an advanced midfield role, keeping seemingly lost phases of play alive with his high press and creating several half chances in the hosts' defensive third.
But with City not making their early chances count, Cambridge grew into the game. First they threatened with a header from one-time Grecian Ryan Loft, which was blocked, before Josh Stokes went close for United, curling an effort from the edge of the box on target, but straight into the hands of Joe Whitworth.
Playing in the middle of a back three, Angus MacDonald was having to deal with a lot of high balls. The defender did well to aim a Cambridge corner away from Whitworth's goal with two players lurking, before Loft had another opportunity with his head but this time it went wide.
Second half
The first chance after the interval saw Trevitt fire a free-kick over from 30 yards, before Cambridge were gifted a golden opportunity to take the lead. A difficult back pass was poked by Whitworth straight to Stokes, but he couldn’t keep the ball under control and fired over.
A quickly taken free-kick from 40 yards almost caught City off guard, as Elias Kachunga turned into the box, but Whitworth was alert to get down low and make the save.
Moments later, Loft tried his luck from distance, but his speculative effort drifted wide.
Despite Cambridge increasing the pressure with a series of direct balls into City’s penalty area, it was the Grecians who broke the deadlock with 20 minutes remaining.
A blocked Demetri Mitchell cross fell to Caleb Watts, who delivered a deep ball into the edge of the six-yard box. Josh Magennis rose highest to meet it, powering a header past the keeper to put City 1-0 up.
Cambridge began to throw more caution to the wind after that goal, and again went close as Jordan Cousins fired over. Caldwell responded by making a defensive change and bringing Ben Purrington on, and City switched to a flat back five.
The home side continued to fire balls into City's penalty area but Whitworth continued to command his box, standing tall and catching balls when asked of him, as the Grecians held out for their first three points since Boxing Day.
A resilient defensive performance away from home that has brought three points back to Exeter, not a bad Saturday lunchtime.
Cambridge United: Bishop, Morrison, Watts, Brophy (Stevenson, 67'), Kachunga, Okedina (Njoku, 82'), Loft (Ballard, 67'), Stokes, Cousins, Gibbons (Longelo, 82'), Barton (Bennett, 74').
Substitutes: Stevens (GK), Digby.
Exeter City: Whitworth, Niskanen, McMillan, A. MacDonald, Hartridge, Harper (Mitchell, 46'), Francis (Woods, 56'), Colwill (Purrington, 85'), Watts (Yogane, 76'), Trevitt (Cole, 56'), Magennis (C).
Substitutes not used: S. MacDonald (GK), Oluwabori.
Goal: Magennis 72'
Yellow card: Harper 40', MacDonald 43', Watts 53', Whitworth 90+4'
Attendance: 5455 (TBC away)