Exeter City returned to winning ways with a 2-0 win over Stevenage with a strong team performance in EFL Sky Bet League One.
Ed Francis gave City an early lead from close range, making it two goals in his last 15 minutes of League action. Kamari Doyle doubled the advantage just after the break, firing home a fantastic shot from a tight angle.
Manager Gary Caldwell made one change from last Saturday’s late defeat to Blackpool, as Ed Francis came in to the XI in place of Millenic Alli. City’s latest signing Mustapha Carayol was named on the bench.
First-half
For the first time in the League this season City won the coin toss and were able to have the advantage of attacking the Big Bank in the second-half.
It would be the visitors that started on the front foot. An early mix-up at the back almost allowed Stevenage in, but Joe Whitworth kept his cool to clear the danger with barely 30 seconds on the clock.
Crisp passing in the middle of the park almost created City’s first chance. Ryan Woods spotted the movement of Josh Magennis and scooped a ball into the box from 25-yards, but it was easy for Murphy Cooper in the Stevenage net to collect.
Six minutes in a clever corner routine saw Kamari Doyle pass to Ed Francis inside the box, he squared It for Pierce Sweeney to hit one from inside the area but a great block from Stevenage kept the score level.
City kept the pressure on forcing a succession of corners that lifted the atmosphere in the stadium. Tristan Crama headed narrowly over, before the pressure finally told! With nine minutes on the clock, Kamari Doyle sent over a fantastic delivery, Josh Magennis headed down into the six-yard box which caused panic and Ed Francis was on hand to give the Grecians a well-deserved lead!
The visitors were quickly on the hunt for a leveller, forcing a pair of corners, the second one headed just over Joe Whitworth’s goal by Charlie Goode.
After both teams cancelled each other out for a period, City would go on the search for a second goal. Some neat play down the right saw Ilmari Niskanen find woods, his deep cross was well controlled by Jack McMillan, who squared for Ed Francis to drive a fierce shot at goal but it was blocked and cleared to Pierce Sweeney, his fizzed effort from 20-yards was easy enough for Cooper.
It really should have been two on the half-hour mark as Ilmari Niskanen drives down the right, finds Kamari Doyle, his slide rule pass finds Josh Magennis in the area, who turns and fires narrowly wide.
The visitors were forced into a change before the break, with Charlie Goode was replaced by Dan Butler after picking up an injury. Jordan Roberts was the first player in the ref’s notebook after sliding in late on Tristan Crama.
City were on the front foot as the scoreboard ticked into four minutes of injury time. Tristan Crama showing the footwork of a seasoned winger as he turned his man before sending in a deep cross which City were unable to take advantage of.
Just before the whistle, Kamari Doyle, who had been twisting and turning all half, delivered a fantastic cross towards Jack McMillan, but he was unable to get a telling touch and the whistle went with City leading 1-0 at the break.
Second-half
Both teams emerged from the tunnel unchanged, with Stevenage pushing to get back on level terms quickly. Stevenage forced the first corner of the second half but it was cleared expertly by Pierce Sweeney.
City got off to the most perfect start to the half and doubled their lead after 49 minutes. Yet more neat interplay down the right found Ilmari Niskanen in space, he drove towards the box and passed to Kamari Doyle who lashed home from inside the box to send the Big Bank wild and double the lead!
That goal really sparked the Greicans who looked to push forward at every opportunity, finding joy down the right with Ilmari Niskanen finding himself in space and sending in some teasing deliveries, but City were unable to apply the finishing touch.
City almost caught Stevenage on the counter after the hour. Ed Francis was quick to poke a ball through to Josh Magennis, who drove at the Boro defence before playing in Jack Aitchison down the channel, his low cross sailed across the face of goal without a City man to convert!
The Grecians turned to the bench after the hour, with Millenic Alli replacing goalscorer Kamari Doyle. Alli was quickly into the action as he turned his marker and ran into the box before lashing a wild effort out for a throw in.
City’s latest signing Mustapha Carayol got his first taste of life at SJP as he came on to replace Jack McMillan in the 76th minute.
City kept pushing and pushing for more goals in the game, forcing Boro into some rash challenges outside the area, with a pair of Ed Francis free-kicks requiring some strong defending to keep the score at 2-0.
City were unable to find any more goals and the match finished 2-0. Two goals, one clean sheet and three points, a fantastic afternoon at SJP!
The Grecians are next in action on Tuesday night as attentions turn to the Bristol Street Motors Trophy and the visit of Spurs U21 in a 7pm kick-off. Click here for tickets.
Exeter City: Whitworth; Niskanen, Sweeney ©, Crama, Yfeko, McMillan (Carayol ’76); Woods, Francis, Doyle (Alli ‘64), Aitchison; Magennis (Cox ’76).
Substitutes not used: MacDonald (GK), Purrington, Fitzwater, A. Richards.
Goals: Francis ‘9, Doyle ‘49
Stevenage: Cooper; Jame-Wildin, Piergianni, Freeman, Roberts (Phillips ’66), Goode, Freestone, List (Aboh ’66), White, Reid (Kemp ’66), King (Simpson ’66)
Substitutes: Bouzanis (GK), Thompson.
Yellow: Jordan Roberts
Attendance: 5,612 (123 from Stevenage)