Morgan seals it for spirited City
Exeter City 2
Pratt (pen), Morgan
Southend 1
Phillips

Report by Trina Lake (Echo Sport)

EXETER CITY'S new found commitment earned them another three valuable Fourth Division points last night with powerful centre-forward Trevor Morgan grabbing the glory with an 86th-minute winner. It was Morgan's fourth goal for City but his first in front of his new fans. and it was hard to tell who was more pleased, the strapping striker or the healthy crowd of 2,337 supporters.

Morgan was at the heart of the City's success and brought them back into the game by eaming a 65th-minute penalty chance for Ray Pratt to tuck away his 16th goal of the season, cancelling out a 36th-minute opener from Steve Phillips.

"Trevor did tremendously well for us again tonight and he took his goal superbly," said delighted City manager Jim Iley.

"We played tonight like a team that wanted to win not a team that was going to win, providing the opposition let us. We wore Southend down with our determination. Once we had equalised I was confident we would go on and win the game. I couldn't see it going any other way," he said.

In all honesty it was not a particularly good game. There were more up-and- unders in 90 minutes than Barry John kicked in his entire rugby career.

But the encouraging thing from City's point of view was that they did not collapse when Southend went in front. They battled their way back into the game in the second half and gradually unlocked an often packed Southend defence to get the result they deserved. City have now gone four matches without being beaten at St James's Park and confidence is beginning to creep back into the side.

They enjoyed the majority of first half possession against Southend, reflected in a corner count of 10 to four, but could not make their overall superiority count in and around the penalty area.

And the persistent tactic of pumping high balls straight down the middle gave Morgan and Pratt little chance against a five-man Southend defence. Nick Marker and Jim McNichol came forward to fire in a couple of shots but there was nothing else on target for the first 45 minutes from City.

Southend made better use of their limited possession with full-back Micky Stead linking well with his attack to get in two good shots, Phillips just missing the target in the 24th minute, and Alan Rogers always needing close attention.

The breakthrough finally came when City failed to clear properly from a corner. Phillips was presented with the ball on the edge of the penalty area and, spotting Jeff Wood off his line, he chipped in a perfect shot that dropped in just under the crossbar. It took his goal tally for the season to 16.

Earlier this season City might well have crumbled at this setback and Southend would probably have gone on to win by a comfortable margin.

Things are a little different these days though and City stuck at it until half- time when Jim Iley had the chance to point out where they were going wrong.

They were more constructive after the break with the defence making better use of the ball and midfield trio Danny O'Shea, an ever-im- proving Symon Burgher, and Steve Harrower making their presence felt a little more.

Pratt could well have equalised in the 50th minute but he sent a free header from Burgher's cross straight at goalkeeper Jon O'Brien. Two minutes later a McNichol special from a free kick 25 yards out whistled towards the top corner of the net but with the 'keeper beaten by the sheer pace of the shot, the ball curled away at the last moment.

McNichol was back on defensive duty a minute later, steaming back to distract Rogers when he broke clean through, and doing enough to force the winger into shooting too early and Wood saved well.

Southend lost their comp- osure midway through the second half when John En- gwell, Phillips, Rogers and John Seaden were all booked and City capitalised on their temporary lack of discipline.

Morgan, whose usual deft touch seemed to have deserted him in the second half, finally proved too much of a handful for sweeper Tony Hadley who wrapped his arms round the City striker to prevent him from challenging for a loose ball. Leicestershire referee Howard Taylor surprised Southend and delighted City by pointing straight to the penalty spot.

Pratt's steely nerves held firm and he drove the ball hard and low into the right hand corner of O'Brien's net. Southend still looked dangerous on the break but it was City who found new penetration in attack.

Keith Viney became more and more involved as the game wore on and in the 81st minute he unleased a fierce 20-yard drive that just rose over the crossbar.

Marker was also using his strength to good advantage in attack and set up a scor- ing chance for Martin Ling in the 82nd minute but his perfect centre was headed wide by Morgan.

His agony at missing a sitter was short-lived, however, but much of the credit for his goal must go to Viney. The City full-back won an important tackle on the left wing and stormed on down the flank. As he whipped in a low, hard cross, substitute Kevin Smith drew his marker to the near post and dummied the ball, leaving Morgan un- marked just to the right of the penalty spot. There was not a defender within five yards of him and he punished Southend ruth- lessly for it, bringing the ball down cleaning and, as O'Brien stood transfixed, drilled it crisply into the back of the net.

The final whistle couldn't come soon enough for City who can now rest easy this weekend knowing that whatever the other teams below them do, last night's three points keep them clear of the re-election zone.

Exeter City: Wood, Coleman, Viney. O'Shea, Marker, McNichol, Ling, Burgher, Mor- gan, Pratt, Harrower. Sub Smith (on for Harrower, 66 minutes).

Southend: O'Brien, Stead, Seaden, Phillips, May, Clark. Pennyfather, Owers, Hadley. Engwell, Rogers. Sub Gymer (on for Engwell, 74 minutes).

Attendance: 2,337.