Exeter City exited the Vertu Trophy at the round of 32 stage after a 2-1 defeat to Birmingham City, despite a gallant effort under the St James Park lights.
Pierce Sweeney scored direct from a corner to level after the opener from Luke Harris, but Keshi Anderson’s second half finish was enough to put the Blues into the round of 16 of the competition.
Despite topping their group in the earlier round of the competition, City could not have been handed a tougher draw in the knockout stages with Blues naming a bench alone that cost in excess of £20m and having already beaten the Grecians 2-0 in the league two weeks ago. But Gary Caldwell’s men exit having shown a good account of themselves and performed vastly better than in the match up 14 days ago.
Manager Caldwell made six alterations from the side that were beaten 2-0 by Stockport County, as he once again wrung the changes for the competition that saw the side win all three group matches. Shaun MacDonald replaced Joe Whitworth in goal, while Jake Richards – who scored his first professional goal in this competition against Spurs – also started alongside Kevin McDonald in midfield, a player 19 years his senior.
The Blues were also much changed, with former Grecian Jay Stansfield and Tomoki Iwata both named on the bench, two weeks after scoring at St James Park in the 2-0 league win a fortnight ago.
First Half
The first chance of the game came for the Grecians, as Sweeney delivered a corner to the near post. The ball was flicked clear only as far as the Jack Aitchison, who took a touch before his deflected effort looped into the arms of Bailey Peacock-Farrell.
Blues took the lead in the 11th minute a fortnight ago and were somehow not ahead even earlier this time around. MacDonald made a hash of his clearance and passed it only as far as Anderson, who somehow steered the ball into the Big Bank with only an empty net to find a few yards out.
Marc Leonard then dragged an effort wide for the visitors as they slowly began to find a foothold in the match. And just a few minutes later, midway through the first half, former Grecian Harris found the bottom corner as City were the masters of their own downfall on the edge of the penalty area. After the Grecians lost possession in a dangerous area, it was Harris who took aim from the final ball, with the ball just too far to MacDonald’s left for him to reach.
City hadn’t really looked like levelling, until Aitchison won a corner after a rare foray forward. Captain Sweeney hadn’t scored at St James Park since February 2021, and with the skipper on corners, surely no-one expected the Irishman to break his duck on this occasion. That was until his right footed effort evaded everyone inside the six yard box and nestled nicely in the corner. Lee Holmes, who? 1-1, and suddenly the Grecians were more than in the game.
Those in red and white suddenly found their confidence, and could have been ahead when Milli Alli latched onto a lofted clearance from Jack McMillan and fired just over Peacock-Farrell’s bar.
Second Half
As the second half began, Reece Cole re-emerged from the tunnel fully kitted as he replaced Aitchison, taking position just ahead of Richards and McDonald.
Cole’s first action of the half was to test the keeper, as City were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area, to the left hand side. Cole stepped up and swung it towards Peacock-Farrell, but the Northern Irishman held the effort.
Somehow the Grecians didn’t take the lead when Blues survived an almighty goalmouth scramble. A move started by Richards saw Harper’s cross find Alli at the back post, before he played the ball across the six yard box. Jay Bird looked to have put Exeter ahead, but somehow the forward was denied twice on the line by Ben Davies and then the keeper.
Alli then had the chance to take the lead for City as he latched onto Harper’s perfectly weighted ball, but fired over, before blues thought they had taken the lead themselves. Anderson had the ball in the back of the net for the Midlanders, but was adjudged to be offside in the build up and it was thus correctly ruled out.
That was only to be a reprieve though for City, as Anderson did find the back of the net legally minutes later, neatly connecting to a cross from the right from Ayumu Yokoyama to tuck it past MacDonald.
Despite going behind, there was still belief from Caldwell’s men, with the manager bringing on Ilmari Niskanen and Demetri Mitchell to compliment the attacking threat. Mitchell tested Peacock-Farrell with his first effort as the keeper was forced to get down low to deny City’s number 7.
The Grecians huffed and puffed for a leveller, but the side from the Second City held on to claim a second victory at St James Park in as many weeks to progress to the next round.
Exeter City’s focus now turns to league action against Barnsley at home on Saturday in a 3pm kick-off.
Exeter City: MacDonald (GK), McMillan, Purrington, Fitzwater, Aitchison (Cole), Alli, Harper (Mitchell), Sweeney ©, McDonald (Niskanen), Bird (Magennis), J.Richards (Doyle).
Subs not used: Whitworth, Cox.
Goals: Sweeney 32’
Bookings: Alli, Cole, Doyle
Birmingham City: Peacock-Farrell (GK), Laird (Bielik), Buchanan (Paik), Sanderson, Jutkiewicz (May), Leonard, Anderson, Gardner-Hickman, Davies, Harris, Yokoyama.
Subs not used: Allsop, Klarer, Iwata, Stansfield.
Goals: Harris 22’, Anderson 78’
Bookings: Buchanan, Yokoyama, Peacock-Farrell.
Referee: Sam Mulhall
Attendance: 1,987 (683 away)