Axminster Town 0 City 2

Grecians sail through to St Luke's Bowl semi-finals
27 January 2022.

Exeter City booked their place in the semi-final of the Devon St Luke's Bowl with a convincing win over Axminster Town.

Two first half goals from George Spencer and an own goal sent City on their way to victory on a cold night at Tiger Way. Charlie Hanson came close on a couple of occasions to extend City's lead, with Michael Lilley also coming close with a second half header. Axminster Town recorded a club record 502 fans through the gates, and almost had something to cheer as Lewis Waldy's shot crashed off the crossbar, with 15 minutes to play. The result means City will play either Bideford, Buckland Atheltic or Tavistock in the semi-finals. Chad Gribble put out a familiar Under 18's side against a Tiger's side heaped with senior experience, as the Grecian's looked to progress into the semi-finals of the competition, where they are current holders. Charlie Hanson looked bright all evening under the lights and got City's first chance of the game after ten minutes. After forcing a corner on the left-hand side, Eli Collins' whipped corner flicked the head of the striker and whistled past the post. Most of Exeter's joy came down the left with Mitch Beardmore and Harrison King on the same wavelength for the majority of the night. A deft one-two between the pair saw the former fire into the side netting. In a dominant opening twenty minutes came through Hanson again. From another Collins corner, Charlie rose highest but saw his header settle on the top of the net. Two minutes later, Beardmore squandered a great opportunity to put City infront. Mitch was baring down on goal and whether the non-league pitch disrupted his run or not remains to be seen, but with the goal at his mercy dragged his shot wide of the target. The Grecians finally broke the deadlock on 34 minutes. A penetrative ball wide from Ed James allowed Baerdmore to drive forward. A simple ball infield to the underlapping Harrison King meant the full back could pick out George Spencer at the far post who stroked home. And in almost identical fashion City had a second moments later. King and Beardmore again exchanged passes down the left. King's ball across this time was diverted into the net by an Ax foot tough Charlie Hanson's pressure forced the mistake. Axminster were far from out of the contest though and came out of the second half firing on all cylinders. An early free-kick was floated into the box, City failed to clear their lines and the Axminster forward had a clear sight on goal- only to be closed down by the onrushing Harry Lee. A familiar thorn in the Ax side for most of the half. With 17 minutes to play, Lee sprung into action again, tipping a dangerous cross over. From the corner the Town winger shimmied away and fired a shot in. Without divine intervention from Toby Nevile, the Tigers would have been roaring. The best chance for the home side came just two minutes later. A gorgeous little Cruyff turn on the edge found space for Lewis Waldy to fire at goal. City survived by the skin of their teeth as Waldy's powerful effort crashed off the underside of the bar. Into the latter stages, the young Grecians weathered the storm and re-found their feet. First Michael Lilley headed over from a corner, before City's young trialist tested keeper Jason Hutchins' reflexes with a low ball in toward Hanson. That was the final chance of the match and Grecians edged their way into the semi-finals again. 

Axminster Town: Hutchins, Lurkins, Waldy, Price, Symes, Andrews, Wilson, Scadden, Hebditch, Wadham, Girton
Subs: McCabe, Short, Jones, Chamberlain, Barfoot

 Exeter City: Lee, Trialist, James, Nevile, King, Billington, Lilley, Collins, Beardmore, Spencer, Hanson
Subs: O'Connor, Borges, Iseguan, Clark, Nicholson 

Referee: Matthew Uren
Attendance: 502 (Axminster Town club record)