Rotherham United 0 Exeter City 0.

Saturday 28 November 1998

Referee: EK Wolstenholme

Att: 3489


THIS was hardly the sort of afternoon that Exeter City would have expected against a side who began the match as the Third Division's top scorers. Perhaps they feared a match of fierce pressure, intense de- fending and a home side creating chances and bombarding them with efforts at goal. If so, then those fears were totally unfounded at Millmoor yesterday. In fact, goalkeeper Ashley Bayes enjoyed the easiest away match of the season as Exeter chalked up the first clean sheet on their travels. And how comfortable it was. He was required to make just one direct save in 90 minutes and the only other major scare was five minutes from time when substitute Chris Sedgwick saw a close range shot glance off the bar following a corner. Otherwise, the City defence - marvellously marshalled by assistant manager Noel Blake on his recall to the side barely had any problems until Rotherham's only concerted spell of pressure during the final 10 minutes. Exeter's confidence grew steadily once they had overcome an edgy start in which Rotherham promised much but failed to deliver. Exeter's attacking threat gradually grew in the first half as they took increasing confidence from finding themselves running the game. Then, in the second half, greater effort and determination was needed as they sought to protect a point against Rotherham's increasingly desperate attempts to break through. Exeter seriously began to believe they might earn at least a draw when Steve Flack saw his header from a Barry McConnell cor- ner cleared off the line by Neil Richardson on 26 minutes. Had it not been for excellent work at full stretch by goalkeeper Mike Pollitt, then Flack would surely have scored just before half time after Jon Gittens headed a Chris Curran cross back across the face of goal. Exeter had certainly been the livelier side going forward in the first half with Rotherham restricted to just one chance. Billy Clark, playing in midfield, dispossessed former Argyle midfielder Garner but unluckily pushed the ball into the path of Rotherham's leading scorer Lee Glover eight yards out but Bayes dashed from his line to block the shot. An injury to winger Trevor Berry forced Rotherham to send on defender Alan Knill at half time. They threw him up front and his extra height at least produced a meaningful aerial threat to Blake and his fellow defenders but Rotherham still created nothing in the shape of clearcut chances or efforts on goal. They were not alone as City had a hard-earned point in sight and set their stall out to survive. Gittens denied an almost certain goal with superb defending six yards out and it was not until Rotherham became desperate in the final minutes that they managed to put sustained pressure on the Grecians' defence. Then Curran, with a diving header, and Graham Power, who played the last 70 minutes with his head bandaged over a cut eye, produced last ditch defending in the area to prevent Rotherham snatching a winner they did not deserve.

Rotherham team:
Pollitt, Ingledow (Sedgwick 66th), Dillon, Garner, Richardson, Raven, Hurst, Hudson, Berry (Knill 46th), Roscoe, Glover.

City team:
Ashley Bayes, Billy Clark, Graeme Power, Noel Blake, Jon Richardson, Jon Gittens, Darran Rowbotham, Jason Rees, Steve Flack, Chris Curran,

Bookings:
Exeter City - Curran, Flack.

Referee:
Eddie Wolstenholme (Blackburn) 

Attendance: 3,489