Black day all round for City

Blackpool 3
(Deary, 2 (one pen), Dyer)
Exeter 0

Atten: 3,663


WHAT a disapponting setback for Exeter, after all the promise and all the goals of their early season games.

Against a gritty and determined Blackpool side, they looked disorganised and sadly lacking in fire power. Indeed, they were lucky that Blackpool did not double the scoreline as they raided at will when Exeter were down to ten men at the end. Blackpool dominated from the start, in part due to the return of the experienced de fender, Mike Walsh, who quickly began to prompt wing raids with some astute through ball. Exeter finally got into the game when Roy McDonough, their most dangerous striker, linked up with Steve Neville and was well placed for the return pass but his savage drive was cleared a yard off the line. Testing Jeff Wood was soon in action against Blackpool's sharpshooters Alex Dyer and Don Deary and made a series of fine saves which pre vented Exeter from being totally outclassed. After 17 minutes he made a great save at full stretch to deflect a low, testing drive from Deary. On the half hour, Exeter created a good chance when McDonough pounced on a bad clearance and flicked the ball over to Neville, but his shot, although on target, lacked power and did not trouble the Blackpool 'keeper. After the break Blackpool were even more firmly in command and Deary put them ahead with a penalty after 52 minutes when his off-target shot was handled by Martyn Rogers. Blackpool nearly had another soon after when Stewart's shot beat Wood and was cleared off the line by Danny O'Shea. Wood made another courageous goal-line say without cover but he could not save Deary's second goal, a hard close-range drive af ter 78 minutes. Blackpool's third goal came six minutes from the end, when Wood managed to block a Deary penalty attempt but Dyer wrapped home a rebound. To make matters worse, Exeter had their striker McDonough sent off ten minutes from the end for an off the-ball incident following an earlier booking.

Exeter City Team 
Wood Rogers Viney O'Shea Marker McNichol Neville McDonough Sims Pratt Ling