Exeter City 2 Southend United 0.

Report by Ross Reid 

Saturday 7 November 1998

Referee: Phil Dowd

Attendance: 3085

TWO goals in the space of the last four minutes of normal time ensured Exeter City maintained the best home League record in the Third Division. Steve Flack notched the last minute winner at the far post after a brilliant first time ball in from the right by teenager Geoff Breslan as Southend rocked un- der City's late pressure. Just four minutes before City had success- fully broken down the visitors right flank with ease to beat the offside trap. This time it was substitute Barry McConnell who prospered, coolly restoring parity with a fine side-foot shot that gave Southend keeper Martyn Margetson no chance. It was just the spur City needed after a spell of applied pressure that reached boiling point with Flack's late, great goal. But even then Southend - who had hit the bar in the opening minute-nearly made it 2-2 in the two minutes of injury time. Sub Adrian Clarke looked off side as he col- lected the ball wide on the left in front of a still jubilant Cowshed. His measured cross was met by Southend's £90,000 former Man City striker Barry Conlon, whose diving header crashed off the top of the bar. United had opened by hitting the woodwork, midfielder Kevin Maher taking no time to introduce himself before let- ting fire with a dipping volley that beat home keeper Ashley Bayes be- fore smashing back off the bar, It was a warning of things to come as the visitors dominated a scrappy first half in which wayward passing was the order of the day. Simon Livett showed his ability from free kicks forcing Bayes to save well with a 25-yard effort and it was from his boot that United went on to score. Flack had just gone wide with a 25th minute header when City conceded a free kick wide on the right. Livett curled the ball in with pace and up popped wee Alex Burns to glance home a header past Bayes and off the inside of the far post. Ironically Burns had wasted a good opportunity a couple of minutes earlier when he opted to chip across the face of goal rather than shoot from close range. Exeter finally forced their first corner after 29 minutes and Southend responded with a counter-attack that needed to be cleared by the impres- sive Lee Baddeley and then Conlon forced a good save off Bayes at his near post. City did manage two good efforts before the break with Baddeley heading just wide from a Breslan corner and then Flack watching in agony as Margetson kept out his header from an inswinging Jason Rees free kick. Southend started the second half as they did the first with Conlon heading just over from a corner on the left but City had got a little more bite during the break and Breslan had a decent pop from 20-yards that whizzed just over. Former Argyle loan signing Conlon missed a sitter in the 52nd minute electing to side-foot past Bayes and the post when he should have scored from eight yards after doing well to create his chance. Fox then put on John Wilkinson for Jimmy Gardner and McConnell for Darran Rowbotham, still not fully fit after his calf injury. After 70 minutes Wilkinson let fly with a 25-yard dipper and seven minutes later Breslan cut the ball back to Chris Curran his first time shot seemed to be handled by Southend centre half Rob Newman. The referee waved away City appeals, led by Curran, which only spurred Exeter on to bigger and better things.

Exeter City
Bayes. Gardner. Power. Baddeley. Richardson. Gittens. Rowbotham. Flack Curran. Breslan Substitutes: Wilkinson (for Gardner, 57 mins, McConnell (for Rowbotham, 67) Sub not used: Fry.

Southend: Player. Scorers: Margetson, Beard, Stimson, Livett, Newman, Cole- man, Maher, Gooding, Conlon, Burns (Whyte, 87), Jones (Clarke, 87). Sub not used: Morley.

Bookings:
Exeter - Baddeley (42), Richardson (30), Rees (28), Southend-Jones (84).

Referee: Philip Dowd (Stoke-on-Trent).

Attendance: 3,085.


Exeter Reserves v Cardiff City Reserves
Football League South West Trophy

(Photo 4 and 5)