Despite a strong first half showing, a youthful City side were beaten 2-1 by Okehampton Argyle on Friday night.
The Grecians took the lead just over 10 minutes into the match when a good move gave City’s trialist an opportunity to open the scoring. Chances for Exeter followed, but a regrouped effort led to two goals in the second half from their senior opponents as Argyle ran out victors.
Leading the side from the dugout, Nicky Ajose named a young starting lineup to face the Oaks, with first team professionals Harry Lee, Charlie Cummins and Ed James leading a side that contained a mix of players from the under-18s and under-16s.
City played a trialist up top by himself, and it was just mere seconds into the game that he made his presence known to the blue defence. The home side kicked off, but the ball was quickly stolen by Exeter’s striker from a pass back, and he attempted an audacious chip from 30 yards which went wide.
The trialist couldn’t miss though on 13 minutes when a well-worked passage of play down the right found him in the six-yard box. After seeing his initial shot saved, the striker tucked home the rebound to put the Grecians 1-0 up.
That spurred the hosts into life, and they had several chances down the wings, with Harry Lee having to be alert in City’s net to catch balls into the box. One he missed clipped the top of his crossbar, but luckily for the Grecians the rebound was put over.
Despite this threat, Ajose’s side were determined to keep playing their football out from the back, preferring to work the ball on the ground where possible.
Just before the half-hour mark, one of those moves found Harry Appleton a few yards out from the top-right corner of the opposition penalty area. Playing in the hole behind the striker, City’s number 10 took aim and unleashed a curling effort that look destined for the top corner, but the Argyle keeper was equal to it, palming the ball out for a corner.
The game was quickly turning into an entertaining end-to-end affair, with Okehampton again breaking into City’s box from the wing in the 33rd minute. This time, their striker opted to cut inside and run at Lee’s goal rather than aerially cross, and again City were let off when his ball flashed across the face of goal was put over the bar.
Lee had to quickly backtrack while watching the final chance of the half, as an Argyle midfielder shot first-time from just yards into City’s half after intercepting a pass. Thankfully for Lee, the ball rolled down the wrong side of the net and went out for a goal-kick.
The hosts came out after the break with renewed impetus and immediately went on the attack, sending a shot over within 60 seconds of the re-start.
Ten minutes in, another Argyle shot cannoned off the referee on the edge of the box before spilling out wide. The referee decided to give the hosts an uncontested drop-ball on the wing, which they quickly crossed into the box. A smart pass across goal gave a blue man an open net to tap into, and the game returned to level pegging.
City’s side began to get even younger as Ajose made several changes, but Okehampton weren’t here to give the young Grecians an easy ride, as they showed what senior football was all about with multiple strong, but fair, tackles in midfield.
Okehampton’s pressure paid off around 15 minutes from time when they took the lead with a first-time half-volley from the edge of the area. While both sides had chances after that, it wasn’t City’s day as the referee blew for full-time with the score 2-1.
Regardless of the result, Exeter will be happy with their first-half performance and the youngsters will take a lot from the second as they head into their new league seasons with their respective age groups.
City: Lee (Shanahan), Oakes, James (Alsop), Anthony, Cartwright, Cummins (Wilson), Bown, Graham, Appleton, Cutler, Trialist (Hodgetts)
Substitutes: Shanahan (GK), Hodgetts, Wilson, Alsop.