Chesterfield 2 Exeter City 1.

League Two

Wednesday 28 January 2009.

On the Road with Jim Shepherd

Well, they don't come along for ages then twice in a month. In the gathering foggy gloom of Saltergate. Exeter City slipped to their second back to back defeat as they failed to take advantage of a half time lead, despite having the opportunity to regain the lead from the penalty spot as Chesterfield completed a deserved double over the Grecians. After the reverse at Gillingham, manager Paul Tisdale reverted to the starting line up that won at Dagenham the previous Tuesday.

City lined up:- Paul Jones, Steve Tully, Troy Archibald-Henville Rob Edwards, Danny Seaborne. Dean Moxey Ryan Harley Manny Panther, Matt Gill, Craig McAllister, Richard Logan. On the bench were Andy Marriott Matt Taylor, Liam Sercombe, Steve Basham and Neil Saunders.

For a side supposedly in turmoil Chesterfield started confidently. Without top scorer Jamie Ward, who moved to Sheffield United, the focus of their attack was the experienced Jack Lester and loanee Drew Talbot. Straight away they were both involved forcing free kicks and a comer to prevent City really starting. But as the game settled there was not a great deal between the sides and chances were at a premium. Howeverwith their first real one City went ahead. McAllister won a free kick as he held the ball up 20 yards from goal. Moxey poked the ball to Harley who stopped it for Deano to crash an unstoppable bullet past Lee in the home goalSoon after McAllister volleyed over and that was about as good as it got. By half-time most of the action had seemingly been in front of Jones and up until that point he was equal to everythingHe was indebted to Archibald-Henville for a last ditch block on the 6-yard line, but also made one stunning one on one save from Lester five minutes before the break. Given the quality of chances City could count themselves fortunate to be ahead at half time, but the break gave them a chance to tinker with the formation to try and gain a much wanted result

Sercombe replaced Panther as Edwards moved up into midfield, Logan out to the left, and City to a 4-5-1. It looked to be working early on as Sercs broke from halfway and played McAllister in on the right. However, his cross floated aimlessly away as Harley and Logan looked to profi.  Until the latter stages the game then seemed to turn all blue. Lester forced Jones into a smart save after turning Seaborne on the edge of the area, and after Harley had hit the wall with a free kick from a central area Jones was again the star. A fierce shot from 20 yards swerved back on him but he managed to adjust himself and punch the ball to relative safety. But, in truth, the equaliser was coming Taylor had replaced Archibald-Henville and it was a simple, but effective ball over the top that gave Lester another one on one with Jones that he didn't waste. Basham immediately came on for the tiring McAllister and he was the in the action soon after as City were awarded a penalty. Tully found a gap to overlap Sercombe and played a pinpoint cross to the onrushing Harley Despite being 15 yards from goal he chose to head firmly and the ball struck the arm of a defender a couple of yards away. Referee Oliver had no hesitation in awarding the penalty and after Downes had been booked for his protestations Basham stepped up. He fired low to the keeper's right but Lee sprung well to get down and push the ball out for a corner. Another comer followed but City couldn't make the opening count. And minutes later it cost them. A City attack was cleared over halfway where Lester was first to the ball. He was able to tum, face up Seaborne, run towards goal and the fire a shot from 18-yards inside Jones' right hand post. Jones was at hand to make a smart save almost immediately after as the scoreline threatened to get worse. However, the best efforts in the last 10 minutes came from City. Logan tried an audacious chip from 20 yards and deep into injury time Sercombe fired a venomous drive from 15 yards. Both were dealt with superbly by Lee as Chesterfield held on.

Jones was, once again the key City playerThe save from Lester in the first half was top quality. There were times when quick City passing opened up the home defence but we didn't see enough of it.

BBC match summary and information 

Jack Lester scored two as Chesterfield came from behind to claim their first home league victory since October. Exeter took the lead on 17 minutes when Dean Moxey netted a 20-yard free-kick. Lester had two good chances to equalise either side of half-time but found the net in the 68th minute after he was put in the clear by Lloyd Kerry. Exeter's Steve Basham missed a penalty after handball by Aaron Downes and Lester sealed the win on 80 minutes when he beat the offside trap again.

Chesterfield: Lee, Gray, Hall, Downes, Robertson, Till (Goodall 85), Winter (Niven 87), Talbot (Lowry 71), Kerry, Lester, Gritton. 

Subs Not Used: Austin, Currie.

Booked: Downes, Lester.

Goals: Lester 68, 80.

Exeter: Jones, Archibald-Henville (Taylor 60), Edwards, Seaborne, Tully, Gill, Harley, Panther (Sercombe 46), Moxey, Logan, McAllister (Basham 69).
Subs Not Used: Marriott, Saunders.

Goals: Moxey 17.

Referee Clive Oliver (Northumberland).

Attendance 2894 with 190 away fans.