Bury 0 Exeter City 1. 

Saturday 11 October 2008.

Grecians shake the shakers

By Jim Shepherd

We hope it will serve as a lesson learned, that you don't have to score more goals, that you stay disciplined and focused and you keep your shape to see the game out."

So wrote Bury manager Alan Knill in his programme notes, after his side surrendered a 3 goal lead last weekend, as City did exactly thatwith an early Richard Logan goal giving the Grecians their third consecutive win to consolidate their seventh position in League 2.

For the third game running City were ahead inside ten minutes. After a cagey and non-eventful few minutes Jack Obersteller crossed beautifully from the left. Adam Stansfield beat his marker and flicked across to the far post where Logan had got goal side and steered the ball back beyond Brown in the home goal, the quality of strike made all the better by the camber in the goalmouth. City immediately looked to press on in the game and found Obersteller and Logan in decent crossing positions again, but could not profit. What little Bury seemed to offer in the early exchanges was dealt with comfortably by the back four and Paul Jones, whose handling would prove to be sound all afternoon. It was a full 20 minutes before the home side's first shot in anger but they grew into the game quickly after. It was pretty regulation stuff for Jones as a couple of long range efforts went wide and he claimed a couple of crosses. Meanwhile, Ryan Harley was keeping Brown busy with a left foot drive from 20 yards and Stansfield was unlucky not to find Obersteller or Harley as he fizzed a ball across the 6 yard box after being played in by Rob Edwards. Bury's front two, Bishop and Morrell, seemed to be finding it hard to make much space despite their side having a good dollop of possession as half time approached, but City were equally adept when having the ball. Logan was probably lucky to escape a booking just after the half hour and from the resulting free kick Bury forced two consecutive comers. Shouts for handball against City were waved away from the first, and a shot blazed over from the second. Soon after, another two quickfire corners followed. The first came after Jones saved from Bury's Bennett and as City dawdled a little and the kick taken quickly Jones was again alert to palm away a dangerous cross. The ensuing comer was headed over.

As half-time approached Dean Moxey was cool as a cucumber to chest back to Jones and after Harley, who seemed a little subdued, had given away a free kick 35 yards out. Bury worked a shooting position on the edge of the box but could only fire wide. The interval came at a good time for the visitors as Bury begun to apply more concerted pressure but City had never been opened up or appeared to be panicked. It was as you were after the break but immediately the home side were on the attack. Jones held a 30 yard effort well after Logan cleared a comer, then held a half deflected effort after Bishop's cross had been cut out and, before five minutes of the half had elapsed Danny Seaborne stretched to clear another teasing cross. The pressure wasn't being helped by a series of seemingly 50/50 decisions going against City and it wasn't until the hour they managed to mount their first serious attack of the half with Obersteller again crossing after the ball had been worked back across the field to him. In the 5 minutes between this and Liam Sercombe replacing Logan Bury came back at Citybut found Jones, and increasingly Matt Taylor and Seaborne in the way of creating anything clear cut. The substitution gave City a more defensive 4-5-1 shape but Harley quickly contrived to create space around the Bury area only to fire wide from 20 yards. As the midway point was reached Bury made a double substitution to freshen up their attack, but with little immediate impact. In fact it was Stansfield who had the next opening as he nipped in behind his marker but his toe poke of a bouncing ball beyond the keeper didn't have enough legs and was easily cleared. With fifteen to go Jones made his best save of the day, albeit that Bury shouldn't have had the ball at the time. Stansfield was on the receiving end of a tackle from behind on halfway but the referee was happy the defender got the ball and waved play on. He was technically correct, but failed to give City the free kick as to get the ball the man had been taken. Within seconds Bishop had the ball just outside the area and sent a low, skimming, curving shot low to Jonesleft. But the stopper was equal to it and palmed away for a comer. Paul Tisdale looked to further close the game out as Bertie Cozic came on for Obersteller but when City had the opportunity they were dangerous going forward too. Matt Gill found Sercombe after a driving 40 yard run in turn the ball was laid across the face of the area to Edwards, but he couldn't keep his shot on target. Steve Tully was booked for a foul and City were slightly fortunate on 85 minutes to get the ball clear after an awkward bounce had come off Gill's chest and Taylor had bravely thrown himself in front of a shot from 18 yards. But hearts were most certainly in mouths with four minutes to go. Bishop cleverly made a run in between Tully and Taylor and as Jones narrowed his angle crossed/shot towards the far corner. Luckily, for City, the ball wasn't quite on target and Deano was coolness personified again as he allowed the ball to run beyond the area for a goal kick, aware of the attacker's positions. City made their final change, Ben Watson for Stansfield as Bury did likewise and put three up front. As 4 minutes of added time was shown Gill had a decent left foot shot saved. Bury though could not quite manage to create a good opening and it was City who could have extended their lead as Cozic found himself breaking through only to hesitate and see the chance disappear. Taylor's booking was the final action of note as the whistle blew and the 347 Grecian followers roared their mighty approval.

Bury: Brown, Scott, Sodje, Futcher (Cresswell 87), Buchanan, Bennett, Dawson (Baker 68), Barry-Murphy, Jones, Bishop, Morrell (Hurst 69).

Subs Not Used: Belford, Racchi.

Exeter: Jones, Tully, Seaborne, Moxey, Taylor, Harley, Gill, Edwards, Logan (Sercombe 66), Stansfield (Watson 87), Obersteller (Cozic 77).

Subs Not Used: Marriott, Murray.

Booked: Tully, Taylor.

Goals: Logan 7.

Attendance 3,220 (347 away) 

Referee Mark Haywood (W Yorkshire).

GRECIANS OF THE FUTURE

Tuesday 14th October 2008

Totesport.com Combination

Exeter City Res 1 Plymouth Argyle Res 2

A win would have seen the Grecians regain top spot in the division but they lost to two Craig Noone goals. The ex-Burscough and Southport winger showed watching Argyle manager Paul Sturrock just what he could do as he gave Liam Sercombe a torrid evening. City took the lead in the 8th minute. A great passing move saw Sercombe cross for Ben Watson to head home from ten yards giving Graham Stack no chance. On 22 minutes Andy Marriott pushed out a cross which eventually fell to Noone whose shot flew into the net. Two minutes before half time, Noone flew past Sercombe and buried his shot into the corner of the net