PARK REPORT:
THE VIEWS OF ANTONY MOXEY 

Tuesday 23rd January 2007

EXETER CITY 4 WEYMOUTH O

NATIONWIDE CONFERENCE

So City exorcise the demons of an awful week in emphatic style and get right back into the playoff hunt with a thumping 4-0 win over a shell shocked Weymouth side on a bitterly cold night when the temperatures struggled to keep the right side of minus numbers in front of a hearty 3,474 hardy souls at the Park.

After the debacle of Saturday a much changed team took to the field and immediately set about erasing painful recent memories. Barely a minute registered on the clock when Carlisle floated a free kick to debutant Elam who's first action in a City shirt was to stab a speculative effort on goal from close range. Two minutes later Jones flighted a cross to Phillips stationed centrally on the edge of the box who chested it into the path of Challinor. Unfortunately his shot lacked power and former City keeper Jason Matthews gathered comfortably.

It took a little while for the next action Weymouth finally getting into the game and giving City a test in midfield this time Carlisle swinging a corner in from the right after quarter of an hour where Phillips headed powerfully towards the top corner only to look on in bewilderment as Elam appeared to have forgotten which side he was playing for by leaping to clear the ball over from close range and away from danger! Minutes later again Carlisle gave Weymouth cause for concern bending a delicious swooping 30 yard free kick towards the top corner to send the keeper scrambling to turn it round the post. 

On the half hour a defender, midway inside his own half, decided to copy Rice's first half trick from Saturday by walloping the ball into Phillips' backside instead of away to safety. Phillips immediately pounced on the ricochet and ghosted past the hapless defender powering his way to goal but the keeper showed great awareness sprinting way outside his box to smother Phillips low drive away to safety. A minute later a clearly offside Carlisle was having nothing to do with a through ball so Challinor burst from a legal position to bear down on the keeper. Again he showed great awareness in coming out and pouncing on Challinor's attempted blast on the edge of his box.

But with the ref pursing his lips ready to blow his whistle to end the half, City had time for one last corner. Carlisle swung it in from the right to Challinor lurking deep at the back of the box. He smashed the ball goalwards where Elam had snuck in undetected at the back post to guide the ball home for a deserved 1-0 lead and his first goal in City's colours against his former club.

Warmed by the half time lead, the second half soon got underway. City took little time in getting forward, and four minutes after the restart Challinor wastefully butted a Carlisle free kick over when unmarked ten yards out, although it wouldn't have counted thanks to a late linesman's flag.

On the hour cam the best move of the match. A quick break from another stuttering Weymouth attack saw Carlisle
set Challinor on his way from deep. Spotting the run of Elam away to his left, Challinor hoisted the ball forward into his path. At breakneck speed Elam deftly nodded the ball forward and as the keeper advanced dinked the ball over his despairing dive into the back of the net for his and City's second of the night and a 2-0 scoreline.

With the half approaching the midway point, Tisdale withdrew ex-Terra Phillips for the lively Mackie, but it remained as you were with City dominating the attack, Quickly Gill, Carlisle and Challinor all combined well down the right for Challinor to unleash a vicious low drive that the keeper did well to get down and block at his near post, but it was only postponing the inevitable as on the half hour City were 3-0 up. A corner from the left was driven in and Challinor pounced guiding the ball towards goal where a scramble between Elam and the keeper saw the ball nestling in the back of the net and Elam celebrating a debut hat trick. Five minutes later Elam was withdrawn to a standing ovation to be replaced by Cozic, and a minute later it was 4-0. Carlisle played the ball down the line inviting Mackie to scamper forward. Dodging a lumbering tackle, he advanced on goal before committing the keeper and squaring left to Challinor to guide the ball into an empty net from six yards out with some authority as Cozic matched his run at the far post looking for any scraps just in case. Challinor was immediately substituted for Stansfield for the remaining ten minutes, Tisdale obviously mindful of the tricky weekend trip to leaders Dagenham coming up, and save the odd moment here or there that was that.

But what a way to respond to the previous demoralising home defeats to Kidderminster in the Trophy and Gravesend in the league. The team performed as a team and collectively and individually all stuck to their task. In defence Tully- the fourth ex Weymouth player starting tonight - looks an able deputy for want away full back Woodards, and both he and Jones enjoyed plenty of excursions upfield as well as looking comfortable at the back. Speaking of comfortable, Edwards and Todd made it all look too easy in the middle of defence, restricting Weymouth to half chances and the odd speculation.

In midfield it was a welcome return for Buckle against one of his old clubs, adding some steel to the middle, thus allowing Gill the freedom his passing needs. On the right Carlisle delivered the deadliest of crosses and on the left Elam had the sort of debut you can only dream about, terrorising former colleagues as well as helping himself to a hat trick, the second goal of which in particular showing no little skill and a delightful touch.

Up front Phillips worked very hard with little reward, although he can be pleased with his night's work linking well with top scorer Challinor, converted to front line duties from his customary wide left berth. Perhaps this is the fourth striker Tisdale has been looking for - he certainly looked the part and as well as giving the keeper a couple of testers, he won a plethora of free kicks around the box as Weymouth defenders had to resort to niggly fouls all night as the only way of containing him. But it was folly on their part as he scored anyway, his second in successive games.

Match Details

Exeter City 4 Weymouth 0.
Tuesday 23 January 2007

Exeter: Rice, Tully, Todd, Edwards, Billy Jones, Carlisle, Buckle, Gill, Elam (Cozic 79), Challinor (Stansfield 82), Phillips (Mackie 70). Subs Not Used: Paul Jones, Woodards.

Booked: Buckle, Challinor.

Goals: Elam 45, 60, 74, Challinor 81.

Weymouth: Matthews, James, Coutts, O'Brien (Vickers 46), Challis (Beavon 82), Crittenden, Weatherstone, Logan, Howell (Tindall 79), Nade, Eribenne. Subs Not Used: Baker, Ironside.

Booked: Nade, O'Brien, Vickers.

Att: 3,474

Ref: Phil Gibbs (West Midlands).