WOODWORK woe consigned Exeter City to Devon derby defeat at unforgiving Home Park. Teenage Grecians midfielder Pete Smith saw his looping shot cannon back off the Plymouth Argyle crossbar. And that after an Argyle rebound fell neatly for Sean McCarthy to snatch the 25th minute winner. Despite plenty of huff and puff, Peter Fox's men failed to find the equaliser their industry deserved. They finally had to settle for a second consecutive 1-0 Home Park reverse and an extension to the club's recent misery at the hands of their oldest rivals. Exeter have now failed to beat the Pilgrims in seven Football League contests since the John Hodge-inspired 3-0 away romp in April 1993. Kick-off was delayed by 15 minutes while a bumper crowd of over 9,000 filed into the ground. With crocked West Ham loanee Gary Alexander not able to feature, City started with man-mountain Steve Flack up front alongside Shayne Bradley. The gameplan was plainly to pepper the Argyle rearguard in the hope of exploiting Flack's towering presence. As early as the third minute, the former bricklayer's knockdown produced a wasted half-chance for Paul Buckle. Flack almost put Bradley in the clear as City continued to dominate the opening quarter of an hour. On 17 minutes Argyle winger Chris Hargreaves was forced to head over his own crossbar as Exeter threatened from Shaun Gale a corner. And it was against the run of play when Hargreaves hooked the ball across for Ian Stonebridge to fire left-footed against the far post. Lurking unmarked was McCarthy who gratefully steered the ball into an empty net. It was only after taking the lead that the Pilgrims began to look good value for it. Stonebridge blazed acrobatically over the bar before Flack replied with a drive too hot for home goalkeeper Jon Sheffield to handle. And Chris Leadbitter and Stonebridge both failed to convert clear chances after seizing upon shaky City defending. Grecians full back Graeme Power then made a shock re- turn to Division 3 action as a half-time substitute- just two days after resuming training following a six-week absence with a calf injury. Also introduced at half-time was 19-year-old striker Warren Waugh, as replacement for the ineffectual Bradley. A constant thorn in City's side, Hargreaves brought a smart block out of Stuart Naylor at the start of the second period. And within a minute, Smith 19 last weekend conjured up the moment of magic that came agonisingly close to turning the game. With the Argyle defence backing off, he galloped 40 yards before unleashing a looping shot over a stranded Sheffield. The ball cracked against the crossbar and ricocheted into the path of Buckle, whose cross deflected wide via the boot of Waugh. Livewire Hargreaves then beat both Naylor and the post after drifting into space. And in nine tempestuous minutes, City duo Kofi Nyamah and Smith and Argyle defender Adam Barrett followed each other into referee Paul Taylor's notebook. Hargreaves again narrowly missed the target again while under pressure from Grecians skipper Jon Richardson before Argyle left back Jon Beswetherick was denied by Naylor after skipping past three tackles. But the home side was never to threaten again as City threw bodies forward in search of the elusive equaliser. Buckle spurned the clearest chance in a frantic last 10 minutes, holding his head in his hands after scooping over from 15 yards. Waugh flashed a header inches wide in the midst of a typical penalty box melee. But in the end the Gods-and the points were with fast-improving Argyle.