City work hard for 2-1 victory

Exeter 2-1 Doncaster

MIDFIELD DUO STEAL SHOW

Match report by Martyn Dean 

ONE OF THE few things that can be said with any certainty about Exeter City this season is that they are totally unpredictable. Their ability to alter- nately infuriate and ingratiate their followers is enough to test the patience of even the most saintly supporter. Their game changes more frequently although less subtlely than the colours of the chameleon. On Saturday we saw the hard-working face of Exeter City. Their 2-1 victory over Doncaster Rovers was much more a triumph for endeavour than enterprise. And yet it was the sort of performance which, if reproduced over the rest of the season, is likely to bring them more points - but perhaps fewer friends than the previous random selection. Saturday's encounter was not the type which excites the imagination, but there were highlights. Perhaps not surprisingly in such a workmanlike dis- play, most of what was to be admired was provided by City's midfield engine room. Virtue is supposed to have its own reward, but Martyn Rogers and John Delve were no doubt delighted to come away with the more tangible prize of a rare goal apiece for their efforts. Rogers had not scored a single league goal before his conversion from fullback to midfield three weeks ago. But now he has two in as many games and the way in which he headed home Dave Pullar's 44th minute cross on Saturday suggests that scoring could now become a regular habit with him. "I am quite enjoying myself in midfield," was Rogers' predictable reaction afterwards. In contrast to the newcomer alongside him, Delve is an experienced campaigner in midfield- but he has tended to find goals a little harder to come by. It was fitting therefore that he should mark another milestone in his career, his 150th league appearance for I didn't even know it was my 150th game until I read it in the programme before the match," he said. "I hope I don't have to wait another 150 before I score again. Doncaster, having gone nine league games without a win, seemed to be in no great hurry to end their depressing sequence. Indeed, throughout the first half they gave the distinct impression that they would be more than happy to settle for a single point.

At times it seemed as if they were playing with two back fours- one in front of the other with their mid- field players clearly content to concentrate on the defen- sive aspects of the job. Ironically, however, they abandoned the sweeper system which they had been using up until Saturday - a system which City's manager Brian Godfrey had made special plans to combat. Godfrey explained afterwards that the idea of playing the left-footed Peter Hatch on the right and the right-footed Pullar on the left was to outwit the defensive set-up they had expected from Rovers. "When we watched them they played with a sweeper and no left back," said Godfrey. "We thought Peter would be able to get behind the defence and drive in some crosses. "They changed the system, but it worked out quite well for us as Peter was still able to get in some telling crosses. However, it was a cross from Pullar on the other side of the field which helped to change the whole course of the game. The ball flew to the far post where Martyn Rogers launched himself into a diving header which was good enough to give City the lead despite the efforts of Doncaster goalkeeper Willie Boyd. A goal can seldom have been more needed. For, with the exception of an early effort from Peter Rogers which was kicked clear by Billy Russell, the visitors had managed to frustrate all City's attacking efforts until that point with ease. Doncaster had rarely ventured forward themselves during that period, although they might have sneaked a goal by courtesy of a couple of bad back passes from Hatch and Martyn Rogers. But having gone behind on the stroke of half-time, they were forced to adopt a more positive approach after the interval and for a while it looked as if their efforts might pay dividends. Len Bond was forced to make a couple of excellent saves from Ian Snodin and Richard Dawson. Rovers' efforts to open the game up, however, soon began to leave gaps which City could exploit. Pullar should have put them further ahead on the hour when a cross from Hatch put him clear, but his shot hit the bar with Boyd well beaten. However, by this time City's pressure was such that a second goal was almost inevitable. It eventually arrived in the 72nd minute. Tony Mitch- ell's cross was brilliantly nodded down by Kellow for Delve to put a perfectly placed shot beyond the reach of Boyd. That should really have been the end of the story and it probably would have been, but for a rather strange incident five minutes from time. The league's best-known referee Clive Thomas, who always seems to travel with controversy as his companion, surprised most people in the ground by awarding a penalty after Bond had, perhaps over-zealously, tried to protect himself from the challenge of Snodin. It was the sort of thing which goalkeepers get away with nine times out of 10- although City's manager had no real complaints about the decision afterwards. "If it had happened at the other end, I think I would have been looking for a penalty," said Godfrey. A penalty it was and Steve Lister made no mistake with the kick. But by that time it was too late for Doncaster to salvage anything from the match.