Exeter City 1 Rotherham United 1.

Tuesday 25 November 2008.

Referee Graham Scott

Attendance 3,402 with 106 away fans.

The Moxey Report 

So on a bitterly cold night at the Park it was a tale of two penalties one scored, one missed - as City drew 1-1 with Rotherham United watched by a shivering 3,402 supporters.

Wholesale changes from manager Paul Tisdale thensome enforced, some not. but nonetheless it was a brave line up that startedIt looked to be a wise decision too, as in the fifth minute City had the first real shot in anger when a cross from the left was met fully on the volley by Liam Sercombe on the comer of the box, but his arrow straight rocket towards the top corner bought a terrific save from the keeper. Sadly that was about it for the next half an hour though as the game got bogged down a bit in midfield with both sides guilty of wasteful passing and just plain sloppy play. However an injury to Paul Jones thankfully he was able to get up and continue after seeming to get knocked quite heavily in the ribs - seemed to spur the lads on for the first time in the game, and all of a sudden we looked like a team knocking on the door of a second straight promotion. Not before Jones had paimed a ferocious 25 yarder over the bar though, and a couple of minutes later Ryan Harley spurned a great chance crashing a stunning drive over the bar after Marcus Stewart had laid the ball off to him following the keeper's acrobatic palming of a Dean Moxey free kick away from the angle of post and bar. With five minutes to go Steve Tully and Stewart swapped passes down the right before Tully delivered the most delicious low cross into the box that beat everyone except the charging Deano in at the back who inexplicably glanced a side footer the wrong side of the post when it seemed easier to score. But City's purple patch wasn't to go unrewarded and a minute later they were in frontManny Panther's miscontrol allowed Ben Watson to rob the defender and send Panther out wide around the edge of the penalty areaSeemingly taking a touch too many, Manny stroked in a daisycutter from deep where Watson came steaming through to steer the ball home from close range to make it 1-0 to City in the final action of what was, by and large, a fairly ordinary half.

Still, the second half was soon upon us, and once again Rotherham tried their luck from distance. This time Fred Murray produced a fantastic block just as the striker shaped to shootbut the ball found itself at the feet of another Rotherham player who sent a stinging drive from just outside the box towards the roof of the net, but fortunately Jones remained alert and effortlessly tipped the ball over the bar for a corner. A minute later and City had a wonderful opportunity to increase their lead. Bursting through, and inches inside the box, Watson's run was halted by a defender tugging at his shirt, and with no complaints from the Rotherham players the ref had little option but to award a penaltyUp stepped Watson to blast home, but the keeper guessed right and batted away Watson's head height kick to safety. Not really much else Watson could have done, credit must go to the keeper for a great save to his left. But the ref decided to even things up, as if he thought perhaps he shouldn't have given the first one by awarding Rotherham a penalty of their own in the 20th minute. With Jones rushing out to claim the ball towards the corner of his box, Murray and Rotherham forward Richard Barker got in a tangle chasing the ball and Barker was sent tumblingThe only person in the whole ground who saw a foul was the ref, and so it was that former Argyle player- sent off on his previous visit to the Park,  Reuben Reid stepped up to smash home despite Jones getting fingertips to the ball as he dived to his left to make it
1-1. Two minutes later Stewart was stretchered off after receiving a nasty kick on his ankle to be replaced by Steve Basham, then on the half hour Chris Shephard was introduced at the expense of Jack Obersteller in a like for like switch on the leftThree minutes later City's final substitute Adam Stansfield entered the fray to replace Watson as City sought a late winnerwhich so very nearly came with five minutes remaining. After some pretty intense pressure, Deano swung over a hanging comer that the keeper couldn't hang on to, and the ball was spilled for a Bash smash that crashed off a defender on the line and away, then two minutes later the sublime Bash was sent scurrying down the right before delivering a peach of a cross that Harley ghosted in to butt a bullet header goalwards that the keeper turned around the post at full stretch. Despite a whopping five minutes of stoppage time, City's last chance had been and gone, so a point it was, but it so easily could have been another two. If truth be known thoughthey didn't really deserve to win any more than Rotherham deserved to loseCity might have had the best chances, but it was Rotherham who had more of the play around our box. It might have been cold, it might have been scrappy at times, but games at the Park have been few and far in between over the last couple of weeks, so it was good to see the boys in action tonightIt'll also be good to see them a bit more often this coming month too, and yes I know there's Christmas and all that, but do come along and give the lads your supportYou know it's got to be better than Christmas shopping, hasn't it!

BBC match report –

Ben Watson scored for Exeter City and missed a penalty in an entertaining draw with Rotherham on Tuesday.

Watson gave the hosts the lead poking in Emmanuel Panther's cross, but the striker then missed a penalty awarded after a foul by Marc Joseph.

Rotherham then equalised from the spot when Exeter keeper Paul Jones was adjudged to have fouled Richie Barker with Reuben Reid netting the penalty.

David Stockdale was in fine form, keeping out a late Ryan Harley header.

Exeter: Jones, Tully, Murray, Seaborne, Moxey, Harley, Panther, Sercombe, Obersteller (Shephard 75), Watson (Stansfield 78), Stewart (Basham 70).

Subs Not Used: Marriott, Bennett.

Goals: Watson 41.

Rotherham: Stockdale, Tonge, Sharps, Fenton, Joseph (Rhodes 73), Green, Cummins, Holmes, Hudson, Taylor (Reid 60), Barker (Broughton 67).

Subs Not Used: Cann, Nicholas.

Booked: Broughton, Joseph, Sharps.

Goals: Reid 66 pen.

Att: 3,402

Ref: Graham Scott (Oxfordshire).