PETERBOROUGH UNITED 2
Gooding 2, 1 penalty. 

EXETER CITY 1
Harrower.

Half-time 1-0

Played at London Road, Peterborough.

Saturday April 23rd 1988.

Peterborough: Neenan, Paris, Benning, Gooding. Gunn, Price, Nightingale, Halsall, Phillips, Genovese, Luke (Butterworth, 81). Sub: Nuttell.

Exeter: Gwinnett, Harrower, Viney, Carter, Taylor, Cooper, Hiley (Watson 79), Olsson, Edwards (Harris, 68). O'Connell, Rowbotham.

Attendance: 2,278.

Match Report by Trina Lake.

A SPIRITED second half revival failed to save Exeter City from the now almost inevitable away defeat. John Delve has yet to see his side win a game on their fourth division travels. And though Exeter were never in with a realistic of victory. they chance of might be aggrieved at not forcing a draw. Like so many other teams this year, they paid the price for failing to stop Peterborough's goal scoring machine Mick Gooding. 

Gooding scored both goals to take his season's total to 24 and was the difference between two uninspiring teams. Exeter should have taken a 16th-minute lead when Brendon O'Connell evaded the offside trap and laid on a precise centre which was volleyed over an empty net by Scott Hiley. Six minutes later Gooding capitalised on defensive hesitancy to smash a 30-yard drive past Mel Gwinnett. Hiley was invariably involved in Exeter's forward excursions and he provided a cross for Paul Olsson who headed over on the stroke of half-time. The killer blow was struck in the 48th minute when Southend referee David Axcell awarded a hotly disputed pen- alty for pushing and Gooding duly sent Gwinnett the wrong way. It was left to full-back Steve Harrower, playing a more adventurous role, to lead the Exeter revival. His aggressive run through the Peterborough defence ought to have enabled leading scorer O'Connell to further his account, but Peterborough 'keeper Joe Neenan saved at his feet.

Harrower then took it upon himself to finish when he unleshed a 20-yard drive in the 72nd minute which flew into the top left-hand corner of the net. Although Exeter were perfectly poised to strike an equaliser, Peterborough, still clinging to hopes of a play-off place, nervously hung on for victory. Exeter had a frustrating afternoon and Darren Rowbotham, O'Connell and Richard Cooper were all booked.