Two goals in the opening 22 minutes for the visitors condemned City to defeat at SJP against Stockport County.
Kyle Wootton opened the scoring inside the opening two minutes before the forward doubled his and County's tally 20 minutes later. City huffed and puffed throughout the second half but couldn't find a way to break down a resilient Stockport defence.
Gary Caldwell made two changes from his team that won 2-1 away at Barnsley on Tuesday, with Tony Yogane and Ben Purrington coming into the starting XI. Ryan Trevitt dropped out of the squad completely due to the injury sustained in South Yorkshire, while Pat Jones had to settle for a spot on the bench. Ryan Woods also returned to the squad, on the bench, for the first time in a couple of weeks.
First half
Under the sun at St James Park, it was far from an ideal start for City as the visitors took the lead just 80 seconds in. Driving down the right, a Stockport cross came into the middle and struck goalwards by Jayden Fevrier. He hit the post, but in came Kyle Wootton to bundle home the rebound.
It took the Grecians a short while to grow into the game, but they got their first shot on target just before the quarter hour mark. Good tenacity from Caleb Watts kept the ball alive in County’s final third, before he played a one-two with Ed Francis on the edge of the box. Shooting on the turn, Watts got his effort on target, but it didn’t trouble the keeper.
However, in the 22nd minute it was 2-0 to County. Ibou Touray played a long ball forward from the back over both midfields that Tanto Olaofe ran on to. Despite offside cries from the crowd nothing was given by the referee, and he squared it into the middle for Wootton to double his and Stockport’s lead.
A break in play due to a Hatters injury allowed the City coaches to shuffle the pack early on, bringing on Woods in central midfield for Purrington, but the Grecians continued to struggle to impose themselves.
Exeter looked liveliest through Watts, and he had another shot blocked as the game edged into seven additional minutes at the end of the first half.
Second half
City needed to attack the second half, and a double substitution was made at the break with changing things in mind. Ilmari Niskanen’s high press caused havoc for Hatters stopper Corey Addai, and the Fin nearly scraped a shooting chance three minutes after the restart but the ball didn’t drop quite right for him.
Pat Jones almost had the better of Brad Hills with his first few touches, however he went down on the chase holding his hamstring, and was brought off 10 minutes after his introduction.
Another injury forced the Grecians to use their fifth change in the 65th minute, with Sonny Cox brought on to replace Ed Turns, who appeared to have broken his nose.
Few chances came in a half lacking in final-third quality from either team, with Cox having a shot blocked from the edge of the Stockport box 15 minutes from time.
Whitworth made a great reaction save from Jack Diamond to deny the visitors a third moments later, before Vincent Harper blocked the rebound out for a corner.
In added time, Josh Magennis flicked a corner at the front post wide, but City could get no closer to the County goal, as it was the visitors who left SJP with all three points.
It's a short turnaround for the Grecians, as they return to SJP on Tuesday night to face Wigan Athletic. Get your tickets now!
Exeter City: Whitworth, Niskanen, Turns (Cox, 66'), MacDonald, Hartridge, Purrington (Woods, 27'), McMillan, Francis (Cole, 46'), Yogane (Jones, 46' (Harper, 54')), Watts, Magennis (C).
Substitutes not used: Colwill, McDonald.
Yellow cards: Watts 24', Purrington 26', Niskanen 51'
Stockport County: Addai, Touray, Horsfall (C), Diamond (Powell, 83'), Olaofe (Bailey, 66'), Fevrier (Knoyle, 66'), Pye, Wootton (Cosgrove, 83'), Moxon (Collar, 30'), Norwood, Hills.
Substitutes not used: Wogan (GK), Connolly.
Goals: Wootton 2', 22'
Yellow card: Olaofe 60'
Attendance: 6541 (813 away)