Match 31
26th December 2018
Yeovil Town (h)
Exeter City secured their third consecutive victory with a hard fought 2-1 win over Yeovil Town in Sky Bet League Two.
by Ben Strange
The Grecians went ahead when Lee Holmes curled a wonderful effort into the far corner before Tom James levelled from the outside of the box.
Jayden Stockley then stepped up to net his 50th goal for the club when he turned the ball home from close range late on.
Manager Matt Taylor named the same starting 11 for the third consecutive match with the Grecians looking to build some momentum in Sky Bet League Two.
City started the brighter of the two teams, often looking to use the wings to cross towards Stockley but were unable to create a clear-cut chance inside the opening 15 minutes as Yeovil soaked up the pressure.
Sessi D’Almedia then had the away side’s first couple of attempts from the edge of the City box but failed to hit the target on both occasions.
The Grecians almost found the breakthrough on 30 minutes when Jake Taylor turned expertly before threading the ball through to Lee Martin. The midfielder controlled well and shot on target but for a good clearance off the line from Yeovil's Tom James.
But the first goal of the game did come, just a few minutes later, when Holmes darted down the right before cutting inside and curling an exquisite effort into the far corner with his left foot as City went into the break with the advantage.
The away side had a good chance in the 52ndminute when Jordan Green did well down the right, and he crossed low to Alex Fisher but thankfully for the Grecians, Dara O’Shea was on hand to stab the ball away.
Darren Way’s side drew level in their next attack, though, when a sustained bit of pressure saw the ball fall to James on the edge of the area, and his low curled effort managed to evade Christy Pym.
The Grecians looked to retake the lead and created a good chance just after the hour mark when Taylor teed up Craig Woodman to cross to the far post, but Holmes was unable to convert under considerable aerial pressure.
Holmes was then at the heart of another City attack on 68 minutes when he did well to drive inside before floating a cross into Law, and despite his good chest control, his flicked effort went just over Stuart Nelson’s goal.
The Grecians then had Christy Pym to thank when City failed to deal with a deep cross into the box, and the ball fell to substitute Olufela Olomola who struck powerfully, but for the legs of the City keeper.
City then went ahead on 86 minutes when good work from Chiedozie Ogbene saw him cross for Dean Moxey. His shot was then blocked into the path of Stockley who fired home to make it 2-1.
A late Yeovil chance to seal a draw but Jordan Green could only find the post, meaning the Grecians would hold onto all three points.
Exeter City: Pym, Sweeney, Woodman, O’Shea, L. Martin (Abrahams, 76), Law (Tillson, 89), Holmes (Ogbene, 73), Stockley, Moxey, Taylor, Collins
Subs not used: Hamon, A. Martin, Forte, Jay
Booked:
Yeovil Town: Nelson, Gafaiti, Dickinson, Warren, Browne (Arquin, 50), Fisher, Green, Zoko (Olomola, 73), D’Almeida, James, Santos
Subs not used: Baxter, Mugabi, Gray, Donnellan, Arnold
Booked: Green, Browne
Attendance: 5,974 (Inc, 576, away
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