2003-08-12
Telford (Away)
Telford v Exeter
WESTERN MORNING NEWS
Wednesday August 13th 2003
City's lack of resources exposed at Telford
NATIONWIDE CONFERENCE
TELFORD UNITED 2 EXETER CITY 0
By Mick Bowler
At The Bucks Head Stadium
EXETER'S harsh introduction to life in the Conference received another jolt as they were outgunned by the musclemen and moneymen of Telford. The expensively-assembled Telford side crushed the visitors with two clinical second-half strikes leaving Exeter manager Eamonn Dolan's pre-match pledge to spoil the party looking a forlorn hope. Once the first 20 minutes were over a period when Exeter had initially looked the more comfortable - Telford got to work.
And the visitors could never get to grips with the growing physical dominance of a Telford side whose ten new recruits in the starting line-up are still to fully gel. Dolan though can only dream of having the funds to recruit a recent Premiership striker like Lee Mills, whose hold-up play ensured the Grecians' defence were always on alert. The former Bradford hitman opened the scoring a minute into the second half reacting first to stab home a rebound after Fitzroy Simpson's curling free-kick had rebounded off a post with James Bittner a stranded onlooker. But Exeter need only to look at themselves for the main source of pressure on their back four throughout - with all four defenders and the 'keeper guilty of uncer- tainty and disorganisation at various spells during the evening. Even Bittner turned from hero to villain. Having brilliantly tipped over from a point-blank Scott Eustace volley on 19 minutes a truly breathtaking piece of 'keeping - he dropped an almighty clanger to hand Telford their vital second on 57 minutes.
After racing off his line, Bittner then produced a hopelessly weak punch when Trevor Challis crossed and Telford's Lee Williams grate- fully snapped up the loose ball to rifle home from 16 yards. Man of the match John Grant - a constant menace to the City ranks - went close to making it three when his header dipped over the bar. But when Alex Jeannin saw his header cleared off the line on 75 minutes, it was virtually the first chance the visitors had created their attack often marooned with little service. And Dolan will have to hope his defence show plenty more resolution at Margate on Saturday - or the tide could really start to go out on their hopes of a quick return to the league.
Telford:
MacKenzie, Clarke, Challis, Howarth, Eustace, Blackwood, Green, Simpson, Williams, Mills, Grant. Substitutes (not used): Lavery, Ricketts, Murphy, Rowe, Taylor. Bookings: Green.
Exeter:
Bittner, Hiley (Canham 76), Gaia, Todd Jeannin, Coppinger, Cronin, Thomas (Ampadu 69), Sheldon (Afful 64), Flack, Moor. Substitutes (not used): McConnell, Rice. Bookings: Moor, Hiley.
Referee: M Matadar (Blackburn).
Attendance: 2,830.
WESTERN MORNING NEWS
Wednesday August 13th 2003
City's lack of resources exposed at Telford
NATIONWIDE CONFERENCE
TELFORD UNITED 2 EXETER CITY 0
By Mick Bowler
At The Bucks Head Stadium
EXETER'S harsh introduction to life in the Conference received another jolt as they were outgunned by the musclemen and moneymen of Telford. The expensively-assembled Telford side crushed the visitors with two clinical second-half strikes leaving Exeter manager Eamonn Dolan's pre-match pledge to spoil the party looking a forlorn hope. Once the first 20 minutes were over a period when Exeter had initially looked the more comfortable - Telford got to work.
And the visitors could never get to grips with the growing physical dominance of a Telford side whose ten new recruits in the starting line-up are still to fully gel. Dolan though can only dream of having the funds to recruit a recent Premiership striker like Lee Mills, whose hold-up play ensured the Grecians' defence were always on alert. The former Bradford hitman opened the scoring a minute into the second half reacting first to stab home a rebound after Fitzroy Simpson's curling free-kick had rebounded off a post with James Bittner a stranded onlooker. But Exeter need only to look at themselves for the main source of pressure on their back four throughout - with all four defenders and the 'keeper guilty of uncer- tainty and disorganisation at various spells during the evening. Even Bittner turned from hero to villain. Having brilliantly tipped over from a point-blank Scott Eustace volley on 19 minutes a truly breathtaking piece of 'keeping - he dropped an almighty clanger to hand Telford their vital second on 57 minutes.
After racing off his line, Bittner then produced a hopelessly weak punch when Trevor Challis crossed and Telford's Lee Williams grate- fully snapped up the loose ball to rifle home from 16 yards. Man of the match John Grant - a constant menace to the City ranks - went close to making it three when his header dipped over the bar. But when Alex Jeannin saw his header cleared off the line on 75 minutes, it was virtually the first chance the visitors had created their attack often marooned with little service. And Dolan will have to hope his defence show plenty more resolution at Margate on Saturday - or the tide could really start to go out on their hopes of a quick return to the league.
Telford:
MacKenzie, Clarke, Challis, Howarth, Eustace, Blackwood, Green, Simpson, Williams, Mills, Grant. Substitutes (not used): Lavery, Ricketts, Murphy, Rowe, Taylor. Bookings: Green.
Exeter:
Bittner, Hiley (Canham 76), Gaia, Todd Jeannin, Coppinger, Cronin, Thomas (Ampadu 69), Sheldon (Afful 64), Flack, Moor. Substitutes (not used): McConnell, Rice. Bookings: Moor, Hiley.
Referee: M Matadar (Blackburn).
Attendance: 2,830.
Collection
Files
Comments