Exeter City U21s beat Bromley U21s 3-1 to secure top spot in their Premier League Cup group with a game to go, and continued their perfect record of five wins from five.
A double from Amani Richards, sandwiched by a penalty from Antonio Morgan made it fifteen points from fifteen in the competition, before Sonny Cox added a third in stoppage time.
Joint managers Dan Green and David Perkins named a team which blended youth and experience, with Amani Richards and Sonny Cox in the XI, with summer signing Pat Jones getting his first minutes in red and white with planned a 30-minute appearance.
With City sitting unbeaten and top of the tree after four matches, a point was all that was needed to win the group.
First half
With three minutes on the clock City had a great chance to open the scoring. Gabe Billington found space in midfield before playing a ball through to Amani Richards. Amani sent a low cross into Sonny Cox who fired just wide.
Amani Richards continued to look lively down City’s right as he drove into the box and went down under a challenge, but the referee waved away City’s appeals.
City took the lead their early pressure warranted as Amani Richards was sent through after some neat interplay from Gabe Billington and Mitch Beardmore. Amani took a couple of touches before firing home after 9 minutes.
Amani Richards was at the end of everything City created in the first fifteen minutes. Mitch Beardmore played in Pat Jones down the left with a neat ball. Pat’s cross took a wicked deflection and fell to Amani at a tight angle, his drive towards goal was blocked and cleared by the Bromley defence.
It was one-way traffic in the first half with City looking for a second goal. Pat Jones looked lively on his City debut as he skipped past his marker after 20 minutes, before delivering a low cross towards Sonny Cox but it was well defended.
Pat Jones planned appearance came to an end after 30 minutes as he was replaced by Max Edgecombe. The change saw Louie Cayless move to right centre-back and Charlie Cummins into midfield.
Bromley’s first threatening attack saw them awarded a penalty after half hour. The ball bobbled around in the area before Max Edgecombe slid in for the ball but caught Emmanuel Deh. Antonio Morgan stepped up and fired an unstoppable penalty into the top corner to level the scores.
City carved out a fantastic chance to take the lead on the stroke of half-time as Mitch Beardmore was found in space, he sent a tantalising cross low into the box that was begging to be sent home but no one was there in red and white.
One chance led to three in quick succession as Gabe Billington found space with a neat turn on the edge of the box before firing just over. Thirty seconds later the ball was sent into Sonny Cox, who turned six-yards out before his goalward shot was blocked wide. This would be the last action of the first half with the teams going in level at 1-1.
Second half
City started the second half on the front foot. The first effort coming as Charlie Cummins found space on the edge of the box, sending a curling effort towards goal which was deflected wide.
With 54 minutes on the clock City again had a chance to retake the lead. Gabe Billington picked the ball up just inside the Bromley half before going on a mazy run which ending with him crossing for Sonny Cox, but his effort had too much on it and ended up halfway up the Big Bank.
Just after the hour mark neat footwork from Amani Richards saw him find Sonny Cox who showed fine footwork of his own to drift past the defender before firing a low shot which was easy for James Batt in the Bromley goal.
The young Grecians really should have taken the lead after 65 minutes. Sonny Cox finding Mitch Beardmore out wide, his first time cross was deflected into the path of Amani Richards who on the stretch fired high and wide into the Big Bank.
City continued to pile on the pressure. Amani Richards going close to doubling his tally for the evening as he drove towards the edge of box before flashing a shot across goal after 70 minutes.
Almost a moment of magic after 80 minutes! Amani Richards again found space to send in a wicked delivery, which looped up and Sonny Cox went for the spectacular overhead kick which looked destined for the top corner, but Sonny was denied by the bar!
City’s pressure finally told in the 83rd minute from a set piece. Tom Dean took a short corner to Mitch Beardmore who crossed first time. Ed James rose highest to head across goal putting the ball on a plate for Amani Richards to double his tally for the night from 5-yards out.
City would go on to seal the three points and the group as Sonny Cox drove forward before sending a low drive into the bottom corner from just outside the box.
One minute later the whistle blew and City made it five wins from five in the competition!
The young Grecians take on Bristol City in the final group match at SJP on Monday, February 3 in a 7pm kick-off.
Exeter City XI: Lee; Cummins, James (C), Cayless (Cutler ’61), Oakes, Billington, Dean, Beardmore, A Richards (Ohanaka ’86), Jones (Edgecombe ’30), Cox
Subs not used: Phillips, Crees.
Bookings: Cutler ’68, Beardmore ’72,
Bromley XI: Batt; Fletcher, Morgan, Aris (Hinden ’80), Moralee, Paul-Lavaly, Penn (C), Deh (Evans ’45), Kelmendi (Nouble ’69), Corbin (Ibrahim ’80), Elerewe
Subs: Paye
Bookings: Deh ’39, Evans ’60, Penn ’68,
Attendance: 180