Shrewsbury Town 1 Exeter City 1. L2. Tuesday 3 March 2009.

Report by Jim Sheppard 


Exeter City made one change to the starting line-up from the eleven who took the field against Darlington-"Supersub" Craig McAllister was given the chance to show what he could do in place of Adam Stansfield. It was the hosts who were quickest out of the blocks, earning a free kick in a dangerous position early on, but the chance to cross well was spumed by Davies. Expensive striker Grant Holt found himself deservedly in the Ref's book shortly after for a horrible studs up challenge on Troy Archibald-Henville which some Referees may have deemed enough for a red, but a yellow was fair enough. Holt then came dangerously close to picking up a second yellow-a sliced clearance that he tried to get to ended up out of play, but he was committed to the kick and the ball was hammered into the stand. Bizarrely the Ref deemed that he had deliberately kicked the ball away and spoke at length to him- a dismissal in this instance would have been ludicrous, Having weathered the storm without too much hassle, City began to get into the game themselves, and were presented with the opportunity to take the leadA free kick on the left from Dean Moxey was flicked on, and a City player, believed to be Neil Saunders (but difficult to tell from so far away) hammered the ball towards goal, only for the ball to rebound off the hands of Shane Cansdell Sheriff. City appealed for a penalty, the Referee agreed, and Matt Gill stepped up. Gill, having become the third player (out of nine attempts) to score a penalty the previous Saturday, sent the keeper the wrong way but the ball bounced agonisingly off the angle of post and crossbar and away to safety A further opportunity came from a free kick from Moxey, which the keeper (Daniels) forced behind for a comer. Shrewsbury looked to hit City with balls through to pacy striker Moses Ashikodi, but on several occasions he ran into the colossus that is Archibald-Henville, who put in several fantastic and well-timed challenges. By now City were facing not only a determined Shrewsbury side but also a fierce swirling wind that meant clearances tended to hold up before going out of play on the right. It was as much as City could do to see things through to half-time which, a few long-range efforts that were meat and drink to Paul Jones, they did comfortably enough. After the break it was once again the home side that looked likeliest, and they did indeed break the deadlock early in the second half. For once, Ashikodi managed to wrong-foot Archibald-Henville, and darted into the box. Crucially, for the first time in the match City's man- mountain mistimed his tackle, and the Referee had the simple decision to award a penalty Holt stepped up, and placed his shot in almost exactly the same position as Gill earlier but just a few inches lower, to send Shrewsbury into the lead. Curiously, instead of trying to build on their lead and put the game to bed, Shrewsbury went into their shells with a nervy display, allowing City onto them. Time wasting even with 30 minutes left at home is a sure sign of a team wanting to hold out- the substitution of Ashikodi (for the first time over on the right- of course the opposite end of the dugouts!) took an absolute agewhile Daniels had resorted to the old trick of taking goal kicks from the opposite side of the goalmouth to that where the ball went out. At times it appeared that City were playing one at the back as both Rob Edwards and Archibald-Henville were given licence to surge forward, while McAllister started to impose himself on the game with some superb hold-up play. What City lacked, though, was the killer pass or the gumption to pull the triggerThe closest City came in this spell was when Steve Basham shot from distanceDaniels appeared to get a touch on the ball, but a goal kick was the verdict. City then made a double substitution. Manny Panther for Saunders was welcomed, but the withdrawal of McAllister caused more than a few heads to be scratched amongst the City faithful, as most had guessed it would be either Basham or Marcus Stewart to make way. That City then launched several high balls towards the box compounded this head-scratching. HoweverCity's dominance. combined with Shrewsbury's fear, meant that chances started to come City's way. Panther was in marauding form down the right, while Matt Taylor headed firmly goalwards only to be denied by Daniels getting -down at his near post. And then came the goal. A ball down the left saw Adam Stansfield taken out in a crude challenge that saw the massed ranks of City supporters behind the goal up in armsHowever, the Referee, Mr Williamson, deemed it a fair challenge and instead gave a corner. Alex Russell took it, and it was flicked on by Taylor at the near post towards the far post. Back it came across goal, and there was Stewart to nod home from a couple of yards out. This finally awoke Shrewsbury from their slumber, although they had to see several surging runs from Moxey and Panther come to nothing- one Moxey run threatened to take him past several players for the goal of the century before a fine challenge halted it on the edge of the box. At the other end no clear chances were created, but both sides were going all-out for victory in what was an entertaining last ten or so. The final whistle saw City the happier of the two sides - and sets of supporters-to ensure a happy trip home. It was an odd sort of performance by City. At times superb, but as all too often just lacking that killer instinct. Troy Archibald-Henville put in a masterful display aside from the one crucial indiscretion, while Dean Moxey and Manny Panther (in his brief cameo on the right) also stood out Shrewsbury fans too must be frustrated at what is obviously a decent side who could have won the game comfortably going so defensive after scoring

BBC match summary and Information 

Exeter's veteran striker Marcus Stewart scored a late leveller to keep City above Shrewsbury in the promotion race. The Grecians should have taken a first-half lead but Matt Gill crashed a penalty onto the bar after Shane Cansdell-Sherriff handled the ball. Grant Holt made City pay, slamming home from the spot after Troy Archibald-Henville brought down Moses Ashikodi. But Stewart headed in from close range after Matt Taylor had nodded Alex Russell's corner back across goal.

Shrewsbury: Daniels, Darren Moss, Langmead, Coughlan, Cansdell-Sherriff, Worrall, Dunfield, Murray (Humphrey 87), Davies (Leslie 72), Ashikodi (Chadwick 62), Holt. 

Subs Not Used: Herd, Walker.

Booked: Holt, Murray.

Goals: Holt 51 pen.

Exeter: Jones, Archibald-Henville, Taylor, Edwards, Saunders (Panther 72), Stewart, Gill, Russell, Moxey, McAllister (Stansfield 74), Basham.
Subs Not Used: Marriott, Seaborne, Harley.

Booked: Gill.

Goals: Stewart 83.

Attendance 4679 with 303 City fans.

Referee Iain Williamson (Berkshire)

Wednesday 4th March 2009
Devon St Luke's Challenge Bowl

Plymouth Parkway 1 Exeter City 2

Parkway came unstuck in the first half as a youthful and skilful Exeter City looked a yard faster and were deservedly leading 2-0 at the break. Exeter opened the scoring after just eight minutes when Kevin Robinson's half-hearted challenge on Craig Veal allowed the striker the room to find Kyle Bassett who promptly rifled the ball into the top left-hand comer of Simon Zinn's goal from the edge of the area. Parkway replied with Sammy Matthews' far post header looping over the visitors' bar, but it was the young Grecians who were to score again on 25 minutes. The home defence gave Chris Shephard far too much time and space and the diminutive winger crashed his shot across Zinn and inside the far post from 20 yards. Exeter were still looking dangerous in the second half and Bassett cut in from the angle of the area only for Zinn to do well and block his shot and when the City striker followed up John Heveran was on hand to clear the ball off the line. Parkway continued to improve and were thrown a life-line 11 minutes from time when Aaron Cusack's shot hit Ronnie Bull on the arm for the referee to point to the penalty spotAndrew Sargent cooly fired low into the corner of the net for 2-1. Although Parkway pressed for the equaliser which would have taken the tie into extra-time, the City defence held firm, and thus the Grecians progress to the semi-final stage of the competition.