The Under-18s won on the road for the first time in dramatic fashion on Saturday afternoon, scoring twice in added time to claim a 5-3 victory over Portsmouth.
Despite an early setback as the hosts took the lead, Jacca Cavendish levelled the score from a corner. Portsmouth then reclaimed their advantage just before halftime, leaving City trailing 2-1 at the break.
City emerged with renewed intensity in the second half, with Kieran Wilson equalising and George Birch capitalising on an open goal to put them in front. Though Pompey drew level in the 86th minute, the young Grecians refused to back down. Two stoppage-time goals, including a stunning strike directly from a corner by Liam Oakes, secured their first away win of the season in thrilling fashion.
Following Nicky Ajose's departure from the academy, his assistant coach Andy Struthers led the team alongside Richard Brown. Following his recovery from injury, Kye Cooper was named in the starting eleven for the first time this season, while Santino Ohanaka returned to the bench after two months out.
First half
The match began in a cagey fashion, with neither side dominating and few chances being created until a Portsmouth set-piece unlocked the Grecians' defence for the game's opening goal.
In the 19th minute, the hosts caught City out with a short corner routine. The ball was fed to a man on the edge of Exeter's box who then sprinted to the byline before chipping a ball to the back post, where Cody Howard managed to poke the ball over the line.
City came close to equalising through Theo Cutler, before the team was re-jigged as Cooper came off after completing his planned half hour on the pitch. Portsmouth grew into the game and started to dominate the ball, but the Grecians looked a threat on the counter attack, with George Birch and Harry Crees quickly turning play over and getting in behind the blue backline.
Every red and white set-piece looked threatening, and that's what brought about the equaliser. This time City worked a short corner, eventually finding Liam Oakes on the top corner of the box. He delivered a cross first time, which bounced around the six-yard box before Jacca Cavendish managed to poke it home.
However, the Grecians could only hold their lead for six minutes as a tight Pompey press dispossessed the backline, and Jermaine Osifo nudged the ball past several defenders to create space before finishing low past Dylan Shanahan.
Second half
Returning to the pitch hungry to get back on level terms, it only took City five minutes to find another equaliser. A chipped ball over the top found Callum Graham sprinting down the right, and he cut it back into the box for Crees. With defenders crowding round him, the midfielder managed to work a pass to Kieran Wilson, who took a touch before firing home the equaliser.
From that, confidence flowed through the Grecians, and with more players returning from injury, Andy Struthers was able to look to his bench for players that could come on and impact the game. Ohanaka was introduced, and he stretched the game alongside Wilson on the opposite wing.
It was from Wilson's wing that City took the lead for the first time with just shy of 20 minutes left. The Scotsman took on his marker and sprinted down the line before fizzing a ball into the box. It was palmed away by the keeper but straight into the path of George Birch, who fired home into an open net for 3-2.
As City looked to hold out their lead, Portsmouth equalised again with four minutes to go after a defensive slip-up. A poor touch resulted in a two-on-one situation, and despite Liam Cartwright trying his best to close the angle, Beau Mullins made it 3-3.
Heads could've dropped at that point, but the team showed incredible resilience to come back again and take the lead in added time.
Liam Oakes' deliveries had been sharp all game, and from a corner in the 93rd minute the number six swung a ball into the six yard box, and it looped right over the keeper and into the back of the net. Similar to the celebration after Jay Bird's late winner for the men's team, the under-18s swamped Oakes as they celebrated a late winner.
There was still time for one more, as Theo Cutler added his name to the scoresheet and sealed the win in the 96th minute. The forward latched onto a poor back pass from the Pompey defence to round the goalkeeper, and tap into an empty net to round off a great victory.
Exeter City under-18s: Shanahan, Cartwright, Anthony, Cavendish, Cooper, Oakes, Birch, Crees, Graham, Wilson, Cutler.
Substitutes: Down (GK), Hodgetts, Appleton, Bown, Ohanaka.
Goals: Cavendish 32', Wilson 50', Birch 69', Oakes 93', Cutler 96'