LATEST THIRD DIVISION EXPLOITS OF EXETER CITY


EARLY BLAST SHOCKS CITY

BRADFORD CITY 3 EXETER CITY 0

The savage treatment of chairman Ivor Doble by the Football Association seemed to have reached the players as City went two goals down inside the first quarter of an our against a rapidly improving Bradford side.

The first half clearly belonged to the Yorkshire team. The Exeter defence was caught out in the ninth minute by a Sean McCarthy through ball that allowed Steve Topely loads of room to place a shot wide of Kevin Miller. former Plymouth striker McCarthy was to relish his new midfield role throughout this match and just six minutes later he headed home a Paul Jewell cross that Lee Sinnott helped on.

Exeter were being out-battled in midfield and the defence was struggling to match the pace and skill of the Bradford front-runners. Miller made several notable saves in this game and further added to his fast growing reputation as one of the best young goalkeepers in the country. How long before the offers come in I wonder?

Paul Batty did bring a point blank save out of Paul Tomlinson, the comparatively unemployed Bradford goalkeeper, but it was a small oasis in the desert for the visitors.

Darran Rowbotham replaced Trevor Morgan at half-time it conincided with a spell of Exeter pressure. However City suffered a double blow in the 56th minute. Jim McNichol overstretched trying to cut out a long ball and as he lay helplessly on the ground Jewell nipped in to score. Lee Rogers came on as the second substitute.

Jewell missed a great opportunity immediately afterwards when he unselfishly tried to set up Babb and allowed the steady Shaun Taylor to clear. In the 71st minute Batty headed against a post, summing up City's night of frustration. Bradford meantime moved into a good position to challenge for a play-off place.

After the match City boss Terry Cooper was disappointed with the performance. "We are giving away too many early goals away from home. Kevin Miller did well to keep us ing the game. We did better in the second half and had a couple of chances but the injury to Jim McNichol finished us off".