AFC Bournemouth 0 Exeter 1. L2. Saturday 23 August 2008.

Ref: James Linington

Att: 5,350 with 1239 City fans


Supporting your team is bit like the shifting sands of the Sahara, for you never know what is going to happen or what the outcome is going to be. For those who follow Exeter City, life is sweet at the moment, following on from promotion back to the Football League and the first win at AFC Bournemouth last weekend. The club appears to be riding on a crest of a wave, (football has a habit of kicking you back down) with enthusiasm abounding no end as proven with the magnificent turn out of support at Darlington (604), and Bournemouth (1,239) two weeks later. There seems to be no end either, to the boundless energy and support, as well as much dedication, shown by those who travel the length and breadth of the country.

You couldn't have been further apart than Dario or Bournemouth, yet even at the former, the longest trip of the season, City fans turned up in huge numbers to welcome the Grecians back to the League. The scenes at the end of the game at Bournemouth were perfectly captured on the You Tube site, and shows what it means to be an Exeter City fan, especially after a win! It surely couldn't fail to leave a lump in your throat as you are proud to be a Grecian. Even better if you were actually at he game. After five years of following the team from Farsley to Weymouth and Northwich to Grays, there are are even more travellers lending their support to the team back in the Football League. The numbers on the road were impressive in the Conference (later the Blue Square)but it must have been quite a shock to those at Darlington and Bournemouth, when they saw just how many had made their way from Devon to support Paul Tisdale's team.

Many have stated how far the club have come in recent years, in terms of organisation, the all important team, sponsors, commercial activities and indeed the number of supporters who now follow the Grecians. Certainly can only speak from experience as regards the latter, for there were many occasions in the 1960s when only a handful of travellers and sometimes just me, were at away matches in the old Fourth Division. Now it is no longer a handful travelling, but hundreds, no matter where the City playAnd if you go back to the two visits to Wembley, then you are talking about thousands of City fans travelling.

The Grecians second away trip of the season took us to the T Fitness First Stadium at Bournemouth, with it being classed as our local derby, the City fans turned out in their droves for this match in what was a warm and sunny day. City seemed to appear a little nervous to begin with, but took things in their stride as the game progressedWithin the first few minutesExeter were awarded a free kick on the edge of the boxwhich was taken by Ryan Harley, but the chance to take advantage was quickly cast aside. Bournemouth had a few chances but didn't capitalise on them well at all. Chances fell for Adam Stansfield several times, a knock on from Richard Logan saw an effort go wide and having an effort denied by the keeper also. Bournemouth then tried their luck with a cheeky lob, but it went wide, much to the relief of the travelling fans. Harley was again showing his classy skills and tried his luck with a long range shot, only to see his effort go straight into the arms of the Bournemouth keeperRob Edwards also had a long range shot go just wide of the post- you did wonder if it was going to be another one of those games! The second half seemed to look like it was not going to go City's way. Another one of Harley's comers was met by Matt Taylor who just headed the ball wide. In the 65th minute Paul Tisdale introduced Dean Moxey, taking off Logan Moxey's presence seemed to take an immediate effect and City continued to put the pressure on, with Danny Seaborne just heading wide from a set piece. What then happened in the 67th minute was almost a deja-vu of what had occurred in the play off semi-final 2nd leg at TorquayEdwards set up Harley whowith his left foot, struck the ball so sweetly in the back of the net, sending the large travelling contingent ecstatic

Within seconds Moxey had crossed the ball inbut unfortunately Stansfield couldn't quite get on the end of it. Bournemouth tried to ply on the pressure, but the City defence and Paul Jones coped very well in the dying minutesCraig McAllister replaced the exhausted looking Stansfield for the last few minutes of the game and for what seemed like an age the final whistle blew and City celebrated their first win back in the football league. City again played some good passing football, but at times were defending a little deep, but there is little doubt that we can make our mark on this league.

BBC match report –

Ryan Harley ended Exeter's five-year wait for a Football League win by scoring the winner against Bournemouth.

The Grecians midfielder struck a low left-footed shot past Cherries goalkeeper Ryan Pryce on 68 minutes.

It gave the west country side their first three points since they dropped into non-league football back in 2003.

The hosts registered their first shot on target after 75 minutes through Brett Pitman but that was as good as it got for a poor Bournemouth side.

Bournemouth: Pryce, Cummings, Pearce, Guyett (Sappleton 57), Bradbury, Hollands, Anderton (Lindfield 70), Cooper, Bartley, Pitman, Wagstaff (Igoe 78).

Subs Not Used: McQuoid, Partington.

Booked: Bradbury.

Exeter: Jones, Tully, Matthew Taylor, Seaborne, Friend, Gill, Harley, Edwards, Stansfield (McAllister 90), Stewart, Logan (Moxey 65).
Subs Not Used: Marriott, Panther, Sercombe.

Booked: Seaborne, Moxey.

Goals: Harley 68.

Att: 5,350

Ref: James Linington (Isle of Wight).