Exeter City 1-3  Cheltenham

26th December 1999

A PANTOMIME first half performance gifted the red red Robins all three points as Exeter subsided to their eighth de- feat in nine games. City began the game like they were still half-asleep on the sofa with the Christmas turkey still warm in the belly. And by the time they roused groggily from their slumber, they found themselves three goals to the bad against their hungrier hosts. Despite momentarily threatening to salvage a point in the second half, City never managed to recover lost ground. A tally of six yellow cards speaks volumes for Exeter's frustration and lack of dis- cipline. And the Grecians can ill- afford any more seasonal generosity. With Steve Flack suspended and Lee Boylan unwell, Exeter boss Peter Fox handed teenaged striker Robert Speakman his first start for almost two months. Winger Geoff Breslan continued in his unfavoured left-sided role in the absence of Kofi Nyamah. Chris Curran was again asked to make up the numbers in the middle of the park alongside Paul Buckle. And it was to Curran that the first chance of the game fell, his overhead kick generating mild panic in the Cheltenham area. But when Breslan needlessly lost the ball near the half-way line, the Robins broke sharply. The excellent Neil Grayson laid the ball off to Hugh McAuley who touched on to the charging Russell Milton. The Cheltenham midfield- er applied a fitting finish to the match's slickest move by arrowing his shot low past Stuart Naylor and inside the far post. An unmarked Jon Gittens spurned a golden opportunity to level on 16 minutes, his header flashing over the bar after being picked out by Jason Rees. But with City minds still seemingly elsewhere, Cheltenham doubled their lead midway through the half. Naylor was stranded in no man's land after flapping at a Milton corner and Mark Duff pounced to nod into an unguarded Grecians net. The disappointing Breslan was withdrawn on the half-hour to be replaced by Nyamah. And the 24-year old midfielder's first contribution was to play a clumsy pass rather than trying his luck from 20 yards out. City were at least now competing for the ball rather than lumbering after Cheltenham shadows. But they went further be- hind deep into injury time at the end of the first half. Dewhurst his head band- aged from an earlier collision - earned himself a booking by upending Grayson on the edge of the Exeter area. And unchaperoned Mark Freeman butted the ball past Naylor from the resulting Milton free kick. A chorus of ironic cheers went up from both sets of supporters when City won their first corner of the game on the hour mark. And Boylan on for the anonymous Speakman tested Steve Book from a long Chris Curran throw. With City nerves now frayed, Dewhurst was lucky to escape a red card after tangling with Duff. Nyamah, Gittens and Curran queued up to enter referee Tony Leake's book in five tempestuous minutes. And on 67 minutes Gittens cut the arrears with a far post header from Buckle's corner. Grecians skipper Jon Richardson blasted narrowly over from 25 yards and a do or die Freeman block was needed to deny Nyamah. But the best chance of the final stages fell to McAuley who defeated the offside trap only for his shot to cannon away off Naylor's knee. City belatedly sprang to life with the game already lost and heading into time added on. Rees and substitute Jukka Vanninen failed to find the target from long range as the the visitors forced three corners in as many minutes. But in the end City were made to pay in full for their earlier lapses.