Plymouth Argyle 3 Exeter City 0.

Tuesday 26 February 2002.

Referee: G Cain

Att: 16369 with 1200 City fans.

Convincing Win Despite the Bruises.

Exeter turned up at Home Park with an 'if we can't beat you, we'll batter you' gameplan. Paul Sturrock's Argyle were looking for their fifth straight win and also to complete the double over their neighbours, having already triumphed in a five-goal thriller at St James' Park earlier in the season. With Mickey Evans absent from the starting XI, Marino Keith earned a recall in the only change from the win against Kidderminster.

The Home Park faithful didn't have long to wait before celebrating a goal. Five minutes in, Ian Stonebridge and Jon Beswetherick linked up down the left, with the latter swinging a dangerous cross into the area. City keeper, Fraser, came for the ball and missed it completely, turning in horror to see the ball bobbling towards his goal line having deflected off a defender. Steve Adams just beat Marino Keith to the ball to tap in the easiest of openers. Fraser partially redeemed himself minutes later when he denied Stonebridge after a Martin Phillips cut back, but Argyle had their victims in their sights and seemed intent on capitalising while on top. Phillips clipped the bar with a cross after the referee had missed one of numerous fouls on Stonebridge and Paul Wotton crashed a long-range free-kick inches wide of the post. Stonebridge was dragged down by ex-Pilgrim, Chris Curran and from the resultant free-kick, Beswetherick found the head of Marino Keith who nodded home via a deflection off the Exeter skipper after 29 minutes. Cronin made his way into the book for the Grecians, flattening Stonebridge with an agricultural challenge that on another day might have seen him given his marching orders. City's best effort of the half came just before the break when Roscoe forced Romain Larrieu to tip his 30-yard effort over the bar.

The second half began in subdued fashion as the rain teemed down. Roscoe shot wide for the visitors and Roberts forced Larrieu into a save, but neither effort seriously endangered the Argyle goal. Graham Coughlan went down and stayed down following a clash of heads with Breslan, but the Argyle man, bloodied and bruised was back up on his feet to the delight of the home crowd. Watson earned himself a booking for the Grecians when he clattered into Stonebridge again before Lee Hodges saw a 20-yard effort tipped wide by Fraser. Substitute McCarthy shanked a shot into the Devonport end, high, wide and not so handsome. With 'Cheer up, Exeter,' ringing around Home Park, Keith showed McCarthy how to do it by curling a stunning 25-yarder over Fraser and into the net, after Stonebridge's run had been blocked off. McCarthy threw an elbow at Coughlan in front of the referee and was given a suitable send-off to go with his red card and there was just enough time for Kevin Wills to crash a 30- yard drive against the frame of the City goal before the final whistle blew.

Battered, bruised but victorious.

3-0 to the Argyle.

[Report thanks to Alec Hepburn]

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE:
Romain Larrieu, David Worrell, Paul Wotton, Graham Coughlan, Jon Beswetherick, Martin Phillips, David Friio, Steve Adams, Lee Hodges, Ian Stonebridge, Marino Keith.
Subs: Neil Heaney, Blair Sturrock, Kevin Wills.

Starting lineup changes
In: Marino Keith.
Out: Mickey Evans.

EXETER CITY 
Stuart Fraser, Barry McConnell, Graeme Power, Kwame Ampadu, Chris Curran, Alex Watson, Glenn Cronin (Paul Buckle 79), Chris Roberts, Steve Flack (Sean McCarthy 69), Graeme Tomlinson (Geoff Breslan 45), Andy Roscoe.


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