Macclesfield Town 1 Exeter City 2.

Saturday 2 February 2001.

Match report from the Western Morning News. 

GRECIANS boss John Cornforth was delighted after his half-time blast spurred his team to victory.

Second-half goals from strike partners Graeme Tomlinson and Steve Flack secured the points although Danny Whitaker pulled a goal back in the 82nd minute.

Exeter looked down in the dumps after a lacklustre first half and in which Macclesfield spurned a host of chances.

Cornforth said: ''We were very poor in the first-half but we had words at half-time and they were given a real rollicking.

''Then we changed things around. I'm very pleased with this win.

''It was our first win in three but our fourth win in our last five away games.

''We haven't scored enough goals recently but we've worked on our finishing over the last ten or 11 days and I'm delighted both strikers scored.

''We didn't pass the ball in the first-half but we played like I want us to after the break and we made the pitch bigger.''

Cornforth added he was pleased the recent financial revelations at St James Park had not distracted his players.

''It's been a difficult week and none of us have been paid. But we've been professional and got the points,'' he said.

Macclesfield began superbly and could have been three ahead inside ten minutes.

In the sixth minute, Richard Tracey's long-range shot cannoned back off the upright with no-one in place to tuck away the follow-up. Then, four minutes later, Stuart Fraser failed to hold Kyle Lightbourne's fierce 40-yard strike but reacted well to each the ball before Ricky Lambert.

Tracey and Lambert had further chances as Exeter struggled to make an impact with only Tomlinson briefly threatening with a shot straight at Lee Martin after 30 minutes.

Macc's finishing again let them down at the end of the half when Lightbroune fed Tracey, but the former Carlisle striker fired straight at Fraser from only four yards.

Exeter finally found their form after Cornforth's half- time blast and it was former Silkman Tomlinson who opened the scoring in the 54th minute.

He collected a ball from Flack before curling an exquisite left-foot shot into the top corner from the edge of the box to silence the home fans.

Dave Ridler and Darren Tinson both wasted glorious chances for Macc before Exeter doubled their lead in the 66th minute.

Ridler completely misjudged a long upfield punt, allowing Flack to nip in and produce a superb lob over Lee Martin from a tight angle.

Macc continued to battle and when Whitaker's 82 minute striker found the top corner from 20 yards, they launched bodies forward.

But Exeter's defence, superbly marshalled by Alex Watson, held firm.

• EXETER City Supporters Club will be holding an Open Forum with Grecians' manager John Cornforth on Wednesday February 20 in the St James' Centre (8pm start).

Referee: G B Frankland

Attendance 1719 with 130 City fans