ALEXANDER THE GREAT'S BIG FUTURE
Loanee Gary won't look back after first strike

Match report by Ed Hogg. 

ON-LOAN striker Gary Alexander opened his senior goalscoring account to keep high-flying Exeter City at altitude. The West Ham prodigy sunk struggling Mansfield 1-0 yesterday to cement the Grecians' place at the top of Division 3. That ended Alexander's search for his first goal since Exeter boss Peter Fox persuaded Hammers counterpart Harry Redknapp to allow the 20-year-old to decamp to St James's Park. And Fox is convinced the highly-rated Londoner won't look back. "It was superb for Gary to get his first goal," he said. "Hopefully he's got a big future in football. But he'll treasure the memory of that goal." "Gary has done great in his four games for us," added Fox. "His play both outside and inside the box is very, very good. I know he can finish because he does it all the time in training." City's victory over the Stags completed a brilliant Bank Holiday double. Back-to-back wins at Rochdale and against Mansfield have enabled Fox's men to equal the club's best-ever start to a Football League campaign. There is now daylight between the pacesetters and the chasing pack following Darlington's 4-2 reverse at Peterborough yesterday. And Exeter, despite their continuing injury problems, proved their resilience by withstanding a severe late onslaught. "Our injuries and the fact we had two tough games in three games caught up with us a bit," admitted Fox.
"The first-half performance was great. In the second half we were a bit tired and ragged. "But there was a lot of spirit, endeavour and determination to hang onto our lead. It was another excellent three points." Mansfield were denied a share of the spoils when Stuart Naylor - shrugging off his troublesome knee injury to keep his place in the starting line-up produced two smart late saves to foil Lee Peacock. But City should already have been home and dry. Alexander was only denied by Gary Tallon's last-ditch fifth minute tackle after brilliant work from the outstanding Jason Rees. Rob Dewhurst, Jon Gittens and Alexander all just failed to supply the finishing touch to Graeme Power's tantalising free-kick. Goalkeeper Barry Richardson then snatched Alexander's cross from the head of Barry McConnell and Alexander looped a 14th minute header just over. Mansfield rarely threatened Andy Roscoe's dismal 31st minute effort their only genuine opportunity of the opening period. And Exeter were promptly ahead in comical circumstances. Former City loanee Neil Richardson had stacks of time to deal with an attempted Rees through ball. But the central defender hesitated, was robbed by Alexander and the rookie marksman strode on to fire home before celebrating gleefully. Teenager Robert Speakman handed his first start after two goals in five previous appearances as a senior substitute then miscued from Jon Richardson's cross. And Chris Holloway smashed a 20-yard volley over before limping out of the fray at the interval with a recurrence of his hamstring problem. The necessary reshuffle clearly disrupted the rhythm. Richardson clutched McConnell's 46th minute header, Dewhurst nodded wide as Mansfield laboured to clear Geoff Breslan's corner and the burly defender was immediately denied by Tallon's goal-line clearance. But Dewhurst needed to produce an immacutely- timed tackle to rob Peacock as he shaped to shoot. Naylor then made his first stop to beat away Peacock's angled drive and soon plunged to his right to parry another Peacock effort. Roscoe wasted a further chance as Mansfield sensed an unlikely point. But there was still time for City substitute Steve Flack to thud a header against the crossbar and McConnell to shoot tamely into Richardson's arms after unselfish 80th minute work by Flack.