Caleb Watts and Demetri Mitchell were both on target as City secured their first League One victory at SJP in 2025, defeating Shrewsbury Town.
Not even a saved penalty could derail the Grecians in a confident performance that lifted them to the 40-point mark in the league.
After Josh Magennis saw his first-half penalty saved, City took the lead from the resulting corner in scrappy fashion, with Watts flicking Alex Hartridge's header past the goalkeeper. That advantage was doubled early in the second half when Mitchell volleyed home in front of the Big Bank, and from there resolute defending ensured all three points, along with a second clean sheet of the week.
Gary Caldwell made just one change from his side that drew 0-0 with Reading on Tuesday, with Pat Jones coming into the side for Jack Aitchison. Once again the Grecians were without a keeper on the bench with Shaun MacDonald still not fully fit. For the opposition, former Grecians Jamal Blackman and David Wheeler returned to SJP, starting in goal and on the bench respectively.
First half
Shrewsbury started the brighter of the two sides, looking to get forward quickly with direct balls over the top.
City first threatened in the ninth minute when Demetri Mitchell’s strength allowed Josh Magennis to break through. The Grecians’ number seven won a header to knock the ball over his marker, allowing the skipper to race onto it before cutting the ball back across goal, but the pass narrowly evaded Caleb Watts, who would have had a tap-in.
That Magennis-Watts connection came even closer two minutes later, as the Northern Irishman latched onto a ball over the top before delivering a cross into the box. Watts met it with a flying volley, but his effort went wide.
Watts continued to find himself in dangerous positions, and after a scramble in the box, his close-range shot was blocked on the line by Blackman. Shrewsbury's clearance was returned into the box towards Pat Jones, who was shoved over as he tried to control it, leading to a City penalty.
However, for the first time this season, Magennis was denied from the spot as Blackman guessed correctly and pushed his shot away.
From the resulting corner, though, City took the lead. Ryan Trevitt’s delivery from the right found Ed Turns in the middle, and after his hooked effort sparked a goalmouth scramble, Ben Purrington and Alex Hartridge both saw shots blocked. The rebound fell to Hartridge again, and his header was flicked off the back of Watts’ head and into the net for 1-0!
Shrewsbury responded through George Nurse, who hit a low shot from range narrowly wide, thanks to a deflection, before Watts tried his luck again at the opposite end with a strike from distance that Blackman held at the second time of asking.
Second half
It was City who came out the traps quicker at the start of 45, with Trevitt going close in the opening seconds before Mitchell doubled the Grecians’ lead three minutes after the restart.
Alex Hartridge sent a long throw into the box from the left which was only headed up into the air by a Salop defender, and in came Mitchell, who sent a volley past Blackman and into the bottom corner.
Both sides made several changes from their bench as the game began to settle down with City two goals to the good, with the visitors only threatening through crossed balls aimed on top of Joe Whitworth, but he did well to palm them away from danger.
A cross from the left in the 77th minute looked like it would cause City problems when Vadaine Oliver was free in the middle, but Purrington defended well before the assistant raised his flag for offside.
Whitworth was called into action shortly after when Luca Hoole hit a fierce half-volley goalwards, but the Palace loanee palmed it away from the target, before substitute David Wheeler saw his effort deflected away from goal.
Magennis had an opportunity to cap off City's three points with a third goal four minutes from time, but Vincent Harper's drilled ball into the box was cut out by a defender. just as the striker was waiting to tap it in.
Hartridge and Turns put in a couple of fantastic blocks to keep the clean sheet intact as City held Shrewsbury off to confirm all three points.
The Grecians are back at St James Park on Tuesday night, as we host Mansfield Town under the lights. Back the team and get your tickets now!
Exeter City: Whitworth, Jones (Harper, 60'), Turns, MacDonald, Hartridge, Purrington, Francis (Woods, 85'), Trevitt, Watts (Aitchison, 60'), Mitchell (Yogane, 69'), Magennis (C).
Substitutes not used: Cole, Cox, Colwill.
Goals: Watts 29', Mitchell 48'
Yellows: Purrington 23', Jones 39', MacDonald 80', Trevitt 86'
Shrewsbury Town: Blackman, Hoole, Benning, M. Feeney (C) (Perry, 67'), J. Feeney, Biggins, Lloyd (Wheeler, 76'), Oliver, Gape (Shipley, 76'), Gillead (Steward, 67'), Nurse.
Substitutes not used: Young (GK), Ojo, Nsiala.
Yellow: Oliver 80'
Attendance: 6,197 (369 away)