Brentford 1 Exeter City 1.

Monday 17 January 2011.

Ref: Mark Haywood

Att: 3093 with 357 City fans.

Johnstone’s Paint Trophy (JPT Area Final 1st leg).

Televised game.

BBC match report –

Brentford and Exeter are still dreaming of Wembley after sharing the spoils in the first leg of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy southern area final.

Jamie Cureton struck first for Exeter before the break when he hit an angled drive across Bees keeper Richard Lee.

But the Londoners equalised on 64 minutes when Gary Alexander swept home Myles Weston's first-time cross.

Weston almost won the match for the hosts, but his header bounced to safety off the upright.

Paul Tisdale's side always looked threatening, with Daniel Nardiello forcing Lee into a string of impressive saves.

Exeter midfielder Liam Sercombe also went close for the visitors but his curling effort was saved by Lee at full stretch.

Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale told BBC Radio Devon:
"It's a draw and we're evens, and we're now going back to St James Park, so I'm just happy with the way we played.

"Of course I would have liked to have not conceded the equaliser but so be it and it's going to make a very good second tie.

"We defended very well and we conceded a goal second-half to good pressure from them and we didn't quite deal with it."