Barnsley 0 Exeter City 2

Grecians victorious on the road.

Jay Stansfield first two goals for Exeter City secured three outstanding points on the road as Barnsley were beaten 2-0 at Oakwell.

A goal after 55 seconds and another three minutes into the second half was enough for young Jay, who followed in the footsteps of father Adam by scoring for the Grecians. 

Interim manager Kev Nicholson made no changes to the starting XI from the last league fixture, with the only notable news being academy graduates Harrison King and Ed James being named on the bench for the first time in the league after their performances against Southampton U21s in the Papa Johns Trophy.

With the kick off being taken by Jevani Brown, City immediately sent the ball up field to threaten the Barnsley defence and it worked a treat. A long ball over the top from Archie Collins found the head of Sam Nombe, whose cushioned header found Jay Stansfield on the edge of the area. With two Barnsley defenders in his way he pushed it to the side and sent it cannoning in off the post, with City going 1-0 up inside the first minute. Stansfield’s first professional goal, wearing number nine, 4,639 after Adam's last Grecians strike. 

A beautiful lay off from Stansfield found marauding wing back Jake Caprice down the right-hand side, but his cross into the box couldn’t find anyone in blue, the resulting corner from the opposite wing back Jack Sparkes was also sent into the box but again Barnsley cleared away. With only 12 minutes played in the game City were on top.

Barnsley then found themselves in the City box for only the second time in the match, a lovely ball into the box not only caught all the City players unawares but also Barnsley’s James Norwood at the back post with the ball hitting his chest and bouncing wide.

A few moments later and the ball once again fell to Norwood, this time he was much more aware of the ball being played to him, but about 30 yards out he decided to strike the ball, but the ball sailed wildly wide of the goal, with 25 minutes played City were still one to the good.

With Barnsley starting to make the passes work, a ball down the left-hand side found Devante Cole but a very well-timed Josh Key challenge sent the ball behind for a corner. That resulting corner found the head of Barnsley captain Mads Andersen but his bullet header never troubled Blackman in the city net.

After what was an insanely frantic start to the game a head injury allowed both teams a little break. With City very much settled into their own style of play, all the play coming courtesy of Archie Collins in the centre of midfield spraying the passes around with ease. Combining expertly with Nombe, Brown and Stansfield.

With the break in play from the head injury coming to an end, City found themselves in the Tykes penalty area once again, this time Caprice found himself about 12 yards out from goal, but his shot agonisingly went wide of the goal.

Straight down the other end of the pitch and Barnsley found themselves five on three going towards the City goal but Jack Aitchison and substitute Adam Phillips could not combine, and Alex Hartridge timed his tackle to perfection and sent the ball away for a corner.

In the dying moments of the first half a serious heart in mouths moment occurred right in front of the travelling Grecians, Blackman had the ball at his feet, with him thinking he had more time than he actually did, one of the Barnsley attackers dispossessed him, but thankfully he was able to recover and make a last ditch save to keep City 1-0 going into the break.

City came out for the second half completely unchanged with Nicholson not seeing any reason to change. Well, he was completely justified in doing so, after only three minutes of the second half being played, Nombe popped up once again, this time down the right-hand side. Jinxing his way past multiple Tykes defenders, he found that man Stansfield only two yards out who was able to pass the ball into the back of an empty net.

With 60 minutes played City were finding themselves heavily in the Barnsley defensive third, Nombe once again being a nuisance, this time to Barnsley keeper Collins, forcing the keeper to walk the ball out for a City corner.

Kev made his first change of the game, goal scorer Stansfield made way for fellow deadline day signing Harry Smith, with another big game only three days away, a very understanding change to be made.

With Barnsley desperately needing a goal and with only 15 minutes left to be played, they were very much knocking on the door of the City defence but the colossus that is Blackman was making sure nothing was getting past him, much to the annoyance of the home supporters who were letting their players know about it.

Another chance for Barnsley went amiss as they turned up the heat on their home turf - the ball found its way into the box once again, but City were able to put on the pressure and the ball was blazed over the bar. Seconds later and another chance for the home side, this time Blackman making it very clear to the defenders to stop allowing the home side chances on goal. City weren’t sitting back and defending though, from the resulting goal kick, Smith found himself baring down on goal, and on the half volley he let loose, the ball went wide of the post, but it still had the keeper scrambling across his goal.

With the clock running down Kev made his final two changes of the game with Nombe and Brown being replaced by Sonny Cox and Kegs Chauke. Those changes were the final act of the game, with City finishing the game 2-0 winners.

With the games coming thick and fast throughout October, City’s next game is to be played in only three days’ time, another away trip this time over to South London at The Valley to face Charlton Athletic

Exeter City: Blackman, Caprice, Sweeney ©, Hartridge, Key, Sparkes, Harper, Collins, Brown (Cox), Nombe (Chauke), Stansfield (Smith) 

Subs not used: Brown, King, James

Barnsley: Collins, Williams (Edwards), Kitching, Andersen ©, Cadden (Larkeche), Kane (Martin), Norwood (Phillips), Benson (Connell), Cundy, Aitchison, Cole

Subs not used: Walton, Tedic,

Referee: Martin Coy

Attendance: 10384 (475 away)

Youth Alliance 
Professional Development League Cup.

Swansea 4-2 Exeter City.

The under-18s were beaten 4-2 at Swansea in their second match in the Professional Development League Cup.

Mitch Beardmore and George Spencer were on the scoresheet for the young Grecians.