Tuesday 9th November 1993

EXETER CITY 1 PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 0

ATTENDANCE: 3,626

We turn the clock back to a game between City and Argyle in the Autoglass Trophy, a forerunner of today's Johnstone's Paint Trophy.

Report by Mike Blackstone in a series of "Rewind games" in the 2012/13 programmes 

It was nearly eighteen years ago, and although the attendance was only a disappointing 3,626, it was a night to savour for City fans. But it could have been oh so different had Argyle not spurned several excellent chances.

The devon rivals have met each other in this competition a few more times since then, the last of which will still be fresh in everyone's minds as the Grecians won at Home Park last season.

The game in November 1993 almost had a sensational start. Paul Dalton might have scored for Argyle within 15 seconds if he had met Craig Skinner's cross with a greater sense of purpose, and that was followed by Jason Minett soon having to hook Steve McCall's corner off the line.

Still the visitors poured forward and after 10 minutes Skinner nodded a Wayne Burnett cross meekly into Kenny Vesey's arms, before Gary Worthington produced Exeter's first real threat nine minutes later.

Burnett shot fractionally wide on 31 minutes and within 60 seconds Toby Redwood's slip gave Steve Castle an opportunity to waste.

Dalton followed up his own shot, blocked by Jon Brown, to head the rebound against Veysey's right hand post, and then Castle flung himself to nod Burnett's cross just over the bar.

Micky Ross almost capitalised in Ronnie Jepson's industry shortly before the interval and Dalton found time to curl a 25-yard shot wide.

Right at the start of the second half Castle missed another close range chance as precious little was seen of the City attack at that stage of the game.

Worthington glanced a Russell Coughlin cross wide at the other end and Skinner headed McCall's free-kick across the face of Veysey's goal.

It was at that point, and with the introduction of Martin Phillips as substitute that City started to take the initiative.

Jepson turned neatly to blast just wide of the target and then unleashed a thunderous drive that Nicholls did well to turn away.

The first chance Phillips had to shine in the game, led to the winning goal. He cut inside, went past three challenges before finding Jepson.

The striker fed Russell Coughlin, and when Phillips received the ball again he was inside the Argyle penalty area.

He skipped to the bye-line, turned Dominic Naylor inside out and crossed to the far post where Worthington forced the ball into the net past Nicholls.

Exeter were in raptures. It was no more than they had deserved after defiantly absorbing Plymouth's prolonged threat. Argyle were devastated after wasting a string of chances.

The winning goal came in the 78th minute and in the remaining time of the game the Grecians were more than a match for anything that Argyle could throw at them as the visitors desperately sought an equaliser without success.

This game proved to be the last occasion that Argyle have visited St James' Park - and the only time in the Football League Trophy under the guise of its various sponsorship names

EXETER CITY:
Kenny Veysey, Jason Minett, Peter Whiston, Jon Brown, Robinson, Danny Bailey, Russell Coughlin, Toby Redwood (Martin Phillips), Gary Worthington, Ronnie Jepson, Micky Ross

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE:

Alan Nicholls, Mark Patterson, Adrian Burrows, Andy Comyn, Dominic Naylor, Craig Skinner, Wayne Burnett, Steve Castle, Steve McCall (Crocker), Kevin Nugent, Paul Dalton