Match 54
7th May 2016
Luton Town (a)
Luton Town 4-1 Exeter City
Line-UpsLuton Town: Justham, O'Donnell (Justin 83'), Potts, Rea, Lawless, McGeehan, Marriott, Ruddock Mpanzu (Bakinson 76'), Howells (Musonda 89'), Sheehan (capt), Pigott.
Subs: Smith, McQuoid, King, Banton.
Goals: McGeehan 26', Marriott 33', 63' Pigott 34'
Exeter City: Hamon, Noble (capt), McAllister, Ribeiro, Davies, Nicholls, Reid (Taylor 63'), Oyeleke (Watkins 63'), McCready, Tillson, Stockley (Holmes 68').
Subs: Butterfield, Moore-Taylor, Pym, Brown.
Goals: Stockley 47'
Referee: Mr. C. Boyeson
Report
EXETER CITY's 2015/16 ended in disappointment as Luton Town took a comfortable 4-1 win at Kenilworth Road.
Jayden Stockley had a great chance to give City the lead early on, but just over ten minutes later, the Grecians were three goals behind. Cameron McGeehan's free-kick was followed by a Jack Marriott strike and a looping Joe Pigott effort. Stockley did pull one back in the second half, but Marriott scored again to re-establish the three-goal margin.
The Grecians named a heavily changed line-up for this season-ender, with former Hayes & Yeading United loanee James Hamon in goal, meaning Bobby Olejnik fell just one short of an ever-present season. The Austrian was absent for personal reasons, so Christy Pym remained on the bench. Elsewhere there was a much-anticipated start for Manny Oyeleke, while David Noble, Jamie McAllister, Arron Davies, Jamie Reid and Alex Nicholls completed the seven switches to the City side.
There may have been little at stake in this one at Kenilworth Road, but it certainly wasn't a quiet start. Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu's cross was begging for a finish for Luton just four minutes in, but that was just seconds before Jayden Stockley's effort was deflected inches wide with Luton keeper Elliot Justham in no man's land. The Hatters should arguably have taken the lead a quarter of an hour in, as a cross came in from the City left, only for Joe Pigott to head off-target with the goal at his mercy.
But when Jordan Tillson scythed down Jake Howells on the edge of the City box on twenty-six minutes, Luton made the most of their opportunity to take the lead. Cameron McGeehan hammered in the free-kick, and though it came off the head of Tillson last, this was the Hatters man's goal. City barely had time for a couple of passing moves before one became two. Despite Jordan Tillson heading a goalbound effort off the line and away off the bar, Jack Marriott was there to convert the rebound.
City's position was to get worse just seconds later. After James Hamon and Christian Ribeiro clattered into each other on the edge of the City box, Joe Pigott curled an exquisite effort into the top corner of the open goal, leaving the Grecians looking in some bother. Ribeiro was politely applauded back onto the field by the home fans a few minutes later - it was a hefty blow with the returning City keeper. It should have been four when Pigott blasted one wide a further few moments later, and James Hamon made a good save from McGeehan after the Luton man's shot went through a crowd. A similar save from an Alex Lawless effort closed out the half.
HALF-TIME: LUTON TOWN 3-0 EXETER CITY
With City needing a big performance in the final half of the campaign, the signs looked brighter for an unlikely comeback when Jayden Stockley scored just two minutes into the period to make it 3-1. It was Stockley's tenth of the season, putting him on course for City's golden boot at tomorrow's end-of-season awards evening.
A low effort from first-half goalscorers Jack Marriott and Cameron McGeehan both drew reflex saves from James Hamon, before Ollie Watkins and Jake Taylor were introduced shortly after the hour. But they had both been on the pitch for seconds when Marriott cut inside for his second and Luton's fourth, seemingly putting the game out of the Grecians' reach. Marriott should have completed his hat-trick with twenty minutes to go as he went through one-on-one with James Hamon, but he could only manage to prod the ball into the far post.
Luton could have made it even more emphatic when Marriott got in behind the City defence with five minutes to go, but Joe Pigott missed the ball with the goal at his mercy. City will want to forget this outing - fortunately there was nothing else on the line to cause further disappointment.
FULL-TIME: LUTON TOWN 4-1 EXETER CITY
Attendance: 8,427 (310 away)
Man of the Match: Tom McCready
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