Pre-Season Friendlies 2.
22nd July 2023

Torquay United 4 City 1
City lose on the road. 

by Harrison Lane 

City's pre-season preparation suffered a blow as they were beaten 4-1 in a hot-headed encounter at Torquay United.

Pierce Sweeney was sent off as the Grecians took a hit early on, going in 2-0 down at the break before conceding twice more in the second half. Ryan Trevitt scored late on from the spot for the Grecians.  It was back to normality for this pre-season game, as Gary Caldwell named a starting XI with the usual seven substitutes, with a look towards the season starting in two weeks. Viljami Sinisalo came in in goal for his debut following his loan move from Villa this week.  There was a frantic start to the game at Plainmoor, as City launched an immediate attack on the Gulls defence with James Scott scooting the ball back to Sam Nombe, but the City attacker was unable to finish, sending the ball just before Torquay spun the wheel in their direction. Straight down the other end came the home side, with Brad Ash finding acres of space behind the City defence, with Sinisalo pulling off a world class stop right in front of the travelling Grecian support. Almost as soon as the fans had settled from the first two attacks, Torquay were forward again as Lewis Collins got the better of Dion Rankine on the edge of the box to send a rocket into the back post.  It was all Torquay inside the opening ten minutes, as City were struggling to get a foothold on the game, with lots of passes being misplaced. The strong wind and rain clearly working against the reds. Torquay doubled their lead on the 15^th minute mark as Brad Ash unleashed from range catching out the City defence and keeper, making it 2-0 to the Gulls. Carnage ensued from the immediate kick off as a nasty challenge from Tom Lapslie sent Ryan Trevitt sprawling to the ground. From that challenge Sweeney ran in arms raised sending Lapslie to the ground as things threatened to boil over on the English Riviera. Sweeney was sent for an early bath, though video footage suggests Lapslie was lucky to avoid anything more than a yellow after a dangerous tackle. As the game approached the 35^th minute, and tackles still flying in, Aaron Jarvis found his name taken by the referee as he awarded a yellow card for a late challenge on Hartridge. On the cusp of half time, City had their first proper chance since the opening minute as Nombe was able to flick the ball onto an on-running Mitchell, but the left-wing back's strike didn’t have enough power to trouble Mark Halstead in the Torquay net. City started the second half exactly how they didn’t want to, conceding a goal only four minutes in. While attempting to play out from the back, City were caught out, allowing Jack Stobbs to dink a finish over every City player into the back of the net, making it three unanswered for the home side. Gary made a double change with Scott and Aitchison replaced by Pedro Borges and Vincent Harper, with something different needed to change the tide for City with half an hour remaining. City, down to ten men, were struggling to find any hold on the game, with their usual playing out from the back tactic being nullified at every attempt by the home side, who were using the extra man very much to their advantage. With a corner in the 80^th minute, City had a sight on goal, a header from Hartridge had Halstead scrambling across his goal, but it went just wide of the far post. Added time saw one last bit of action for the home side as they were awarded a penalty for a shirt pull, allowing captain Asa Hall to make it 4-0 to the Gulls. Deep into added time, City were awarded a penalty of their own. It was Trevitt who was brought down and it was him who stepped up for a mere consolation. 

Torquay: Halstead, Lapslie (Jenkins-Davies), Hall ©, Jarvis (Crowe), Collins, Ash (Hanson), McGavin, Craske (Thomas), Donnellan (Marshall), Tomlinson, Stobbs (Martin)

Subs: Lovett

Exeter City: Sinisalo, Rankine (Billington), Sweeney, Aimson ©, Hartridge, Mitchell (O’Connor), Trevitt, Cole (Diabate), Aitchison (Harper), Scott (Borges), Nombe (Cox)

Subs: Woods, Cox

Referee: Paul Johnson

Attendance: 3014 (1110 away)

Bristol City 4 City 0
25th July 2023.
report by Harrison Lane 

City beaten by Championship outfit.

A three goal second half for the Bristol City saw City succumb to a 4-0 loss at the Robins High Performance Centre.

A Nahki Wells inspired Bristol City came out on top on a sunny afternoon in Bristol, as the Bermudan international scored one and assisted two. It was a strong start to the game for both sides in the opening ten minutes, with both teams seeing a lot of possession. However, the home side did look the more promising with strong intricate play in and around the City box. With ten minutes on the clock, it was the Grecians who almost took the lead, a lovely phase of play between Carroll, Cox, and Harper, led to the latter playing the ball onto the head of Scott, but the Scotsman was unable to direct his header goalward, sending it just over the bar. The next promising attack was in favour of the home side, a through ball down the right-hand side, caught out Hartridge, who was high up the pitch. Alex Scott picked up the pass and barrelled towards the goal but a strong save at his near post from Viljami Sinisalo cleared it for a corner. As the game was starting to slow up for both sides, it was the home side who took the lead with 30 minutes on the clock. A ball over the top from Dickie found Wells in behind the City defence, the Bermudan forward struck a well driven shot which was excellently saved by Sinisalo. However, following up and the quickest to react was Harry Leeson who slotted the ball into an empty net. City found themselves on the attack late into the second half after a wonderful turn and nutmeg from Scott, who sent a searching ball down the right-hand side to find Daniels, but his ball into the box was gathered by Harvey Wiles-Richards.

After the half time break, the Grecians came out all guns blazing and found space in behind the Robins defence, a wonderful roulette from Trevitt allowed the Brentford loanee to send a peach of a ball to Daniels, the young wing back did enough to keep it in but had the ball pipped from his touch on the by-line and the Robins could clear. With just under an hour on the clock, Bristol City made it 2-0 after a defensive mistake from City. Sinisalo played the ball outside of his area on the wide right to the feet of Trevitt, but the young loanee did not see Wells right on his tail and the Bermudan took the ball off him and slotted into an empty net from 18 yards out. The home side almost made it 3-0 with 70 played, but the offside flag came to the City defences rescue. A corner by the home side had Sinisalo make a good save in the first instance but in the follow up, a Robins attacker was adjudged to be offside, and their goal was ruled out. Bristol City’s next attack saw the third goal of the game, a ball over the top forced Bell to the by-line where he back heeled it to Wells who lined up a shot which was deflected to the back post for Sykes to head home unchallenged. The Robins found themselves 4-0 up come the 80^thminute, with Leeson getting his second of the game, with all the build-up coming through Wells who played in Leeson to curl it past Sinisalo.

Bristol City: Wiles-Richards, Leeson, Knight-Lebel, Dickie, Pring, King, Meerholz, Sykes, Scott, Bell, Wells

Subs: Duncan, Wood, Taylor-Clarke, Morrison

Exeter City: Sinisalo, Daniels (King), James, Aimson ©, Hartridge, Harper, Trevitt, Carroll (Beardmore), Rankine, Scott (Edgecombe), Cox.

29th July 2023

Exeter City 1 Coventry 2

City lose at the death:

Match report by Harrison Lane.

Exeter City's pre-season preparations came to an end with a late defeat to Championship side Coventry, despite a brilliant performance from the Grecians in front of a crowd of over 5,000.

Vince Harper's intended cross levelled the game following Matty Godden's second half opener, but Ben Sheaf's goal deep into stoppage time put paid to what would have been hard fought and deserved draw. With this being the last game of pre-season, it was the last time for players to make an impression in front of the first team staff, with all places up for grabs as the first game of the season was only a week away. An important takeaway for the squad was the return of Kyle Taylor, named on the bench for the first time in 16 months following his horrific knee injury. It was a quick start to the game for both sides, with attacks coming at both ends courtesy of Sam Nombe and Sheaf, but either keeper stayed untested. A dangerous ball over the top from Carroll found the chest of Aitchison on the left-hand side whose ball into the box found James Scott, but the Scotsman was unable to make anything of the effort as he was tackled, and the ball cleared away. Shouts for a penalty from the home side but waved away by the referee. There was a raucous applause from the Big Bank as the City back line and Sinsalo all stood firm after a Coventry barrage almost had the away side taking the lead. A triple onslaught had Sinsalo and Aimson standing firm chucking their bodies on the line to keep the score at 0-0. It was a big chance from a dead ball situation for Coventry as Palmer was felled on the edge of the box by Carroll, but the away side were unable to do anything with the chance as Palmer fired the effort into the City wall.

A corner for City halfway through the first half with both wing backs taking charge of their respective wings, this time it was Rankine with his magic feet taking the Coventry defence for a ride. From the resulting corner, a ball chested down at the back post by Scott was half volleyed by Aitchison for a first shot on target for City, but it was well gathered by Collins. After a huge clearance from Hartridge which sent the ball clearing the Big Bank, Coventry had a huge chance. A corner to the back post found the head of Thomas but his headed effort was only good enough to find the side netting. The Sky Blues were on the attack again only moments later with Matt Godden forcing a superb save out of Sinsalo in goal for the Grecians, with his arms outstretched he was able to claw the ball away. After the half time break Gary made his first change of the game James Scott being replaced by Reece Cole. Coventry had their first big chance of the second half in the 55^th minute as Godden was able to get a header on target but Sinsalo was able to match it and gathered with ease.

City went straight down the other end with an attack of their own, led by the marauding Rankine down the right-hand side, he played a ball into Cole who played a peach of a ball through to Nombe, but his attempted cutback was cut out by a collective of Coventry defenders. City made their second change of the afternoon on 64 minutes as Mitchell was replaced by Vincent Harper, a straight swap in the left wing back position. Coventry were starting to find their feet as the second half wore on with multiple efforts on the City all spearheaded by Palmer. And in the 67^th minute they took the lead, a corner into the box found the head of Godden who was able to head past Sinisalo. It was a double change for City in the 71^st minute as Hartridge and Carroll made way for Pedro Borges and Zak Jules, with the latter making his debut for the Grecians. Moments later and City made a triple change with Trevitt, Aitchison and Nombe replaced by Sonny Cox, Mitch Beardmore and a massive welcome back after 16 months to Kyle Taylor. City equalised just after the 80^th minute with a wonderful goal from Harper. Far out on the left-hand side the wing back sent a cross-cum-shot to the back post which alluded everyone bouncing off the back post and nestling into the back of the net. With City about to walk away with a well-earned draw, up-stepped Sheaf to spoil the party, as the Coventry midfielder struck from range to earn Coventry the win right at the death.

Exeter City:
Sinisalo, Sweeney, Aimson ©, Hartridge (Jules), Rankine, Carroll (Borges), Trevitt (Taylor), Mitchell (Harper), Scott (Cole), Aitchison (Beardmore), Nombe (Cox)

Subs not used: Woods,

Coventry:
Collins, Dasilva, Thomas, McFadzean, Sakamoto, Simms, Sheaf, Latibeaudiere, Godden, Eccles, Palmer

Subs: Moore, Binks, Kelly, Bidwell, Burroughs, Howley, Hamer, Eghosa, Obikwu

Attendance: 5147

Referee: Lee Swabey

The Squad
SQUAD NUMBERS

1. VIL SINISALO (GK)
2.
3. ZAK JULES
4. WILL AIMSON
5. ALEX HARTRIDGE
6. TOM CARROLL
7. DEMETRI MITCHELL
8. RYAN TREVITT
9.
10. ADMIRAL MUSKWE 
11. JAMES SCOTT
12. REECE COLE
13. YANIC WILDSCHUT 
14.
15.
16. HARRY KITE
17. CALEB WATTS 
18.
19. SONNY COX
20. SHAUN MACDONALD 
21. DION RANKINE
22. HARRY LEE (GK)
23. KYLE TAYLOR
24. JACK FITZWATER
25. ILMARI NISKANEN 
26. PIERCE SWEENEY
27.
28.
29. JACK AITCHISON
30.
31. VINCENT HARPER
33. GARY WOODS (GK)
34. GABRIEL BILLINGTON
35. JOE O'CONNOR
36. MITCH BEARDMORE
37. HARRISON KING
38. MAX EDGECOMBE
39. CHEICK DIABATE
40. ED JAMES
41. PEDRO BORGES
47 JACK RICHARDS 


New Signings

Vil Sinsalo (Loan Aston Villa)
Tom Carroll
Ryan Trevitt (Loan Brentford) 
Vincent Harper
Dion Rankine (Loan Chelsea) 
Jack Aitchison
Reece Cole 
Zak Jules
Admiral Muskwe (Loan Luton)
Jack Fitzwater (short contract) 
Shaun MacDonald (short contract)
Caleb Watts (short contract)
Yanic Wildschut 
Ilmari Niskanen







Fixtures and more!