Exeter City 1 Rochdale 0.
Saturday 2 October 2010

Ref: Steve Tanner

Att: 5,363 with 214 away fans.

BBC match report –

Exeter earned a well deserved win over high-flyers Rochdale thanks to Jamie Cureton's second-half header.

The Grecians took the lead four minutes after the break when Cureton glanced Troy Archibald-Henville's cross into the net from eight yards out.

Rochdale responded with Joe Thompson bringing a fine save from Paul Jones.

Exeter kept hold of their second clean sheet of the season and almost added a second with James Dunne hitting the crossbar from 25 yards late on.

Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale told BBC Radio Devon:

"It was a fantastic performance and it's a shame that it was only 1-0 - it wasn't just that we won, it was the way that we played.

"It was delightful to see a team to play with so much focus, so much concentration, so disciplined to their jobs and play with such enthusiasm and energy.

"It's not my style to get too up when we've done well but I think we did have the giant's share of the game."

Rochdale manager Keith Hill told BBC Radio Manchester:
"We were beaten by the better side with a better performance as well and I think they played excellent football.

"Energy wise we looked a bit down and they way we usually keep the ball wasn't apparent today and disappointed with that.

"We resorted to long ball in the end today and that's why we put four strikers on at the end, but in the end they've done a job on us today."