Exeter City under-21s ended the Premier League Cup group stages with a 2-2 draw against Bristol City in a lively encounter at St James Park.
Jay Bird scored after just 90 seconds, but Bristol City turned the game on it’s head before the 20 minute mark – all while being reduced to ten men – before Liam Oakes equalised with a thumping effort in the second half.
Reece Cole marked a return from injury with a start for the under-21s, with coach Dan Green utilising a mix of first team players and youngsters for his starting line up.
First Half
The opening ten minutes of the game was all about Bird, as he beautifully connected to Tom Dean’s first foray down the right with a first time finish inside the area to put the Grecians one up early on.
He was proving a handful inside the opening ten, and his strength would see the Robins reduced to ten after Raph Ajaoye hauled him down on the edge of the box to receive his marching orders.
Football is a strange game and just a minute after the red card, Bristol City were level as Mitch Beardmore’s loose possession was pounced on, allowing Kai Churchley to thump the ball past Harry Lee in the Grecians goal.
Scoring direct from corners has become common practice for City this season and Cole looked to have repeated the trick from the set piece midway through the half-way the first period with a delightful delivery, only for the referee to deem there to be a foul in the six-yard area and the goal was ruled out.
Second Half
Dan Green made two changes at the break, with Sonny Cox and Max Edgecombe being introduced, the second half was one way traffic as City looked for an equaliser.
It always felt like only a matter of time until the goal came against the ten men, and it did come in emphatic style. After some great interplay between several of the players, the ball fell to Liam Oakes who fired into the top corner from the edge of the box to level the scores.
Minutes later, Cox was just inches away from putting the Grecians ahead as his bullet header flew narrowly wide from Dean’s superb pinpointed cross.
As we’ve seen on several occasions in the competition, first team coach David Perkins, at the spritely age of 42, took to the field as a mentor for the youngest players on the field and he wasn’t far away from teeing up Kieran Wilson for an effort, but saw his effort blocked.
Bird could have had a second but turned his effort over the bar at the near post, before Wilson was denied by the keeper in the fifth minute of added time as City banged on the door for a winner.
It wasn’t to be, and City would have to settle for a draw. Nonetheless, the Grecians end the group stage as winners with five wins and a draw from six matches.
Exeter City: Lee (GK), Cayless (Edgecombe), Borges, Billington, Bird, Dean (Wilson), Beardmore, James ©, Cummins (Perkins), Oakes, Cole (Cox).
Subs not used: Phillips (GK)
Bristol City: Bajic (GK), Ap Sion, Morrison, Williams, Araoye, Ali, Phillips, Kalkiowski, Thomas, Churchley, Akinbo.
Subs: Wood, Duncan, Amos, Murphy
Referee: R Martin
Attendance: 206