Exeter City 2 Reading 1

City secure all three points at home 

Reece Cole stunning 93rd minute winner secured a third league win of the season as the Grecians beat Reading 2-1 at St James Park. Will Aimson's first half header - his second goal of the season - was cancelled out before the break by Harvey Knibbs, before Cole's wonderstrike saw off the Royals. Gary Caldwell made two changes to the side that travelled to Carlisle with Finnish wing back Ilmari Niskanen - making his debut after successful international clearance - and Tom Carroll coming into the starting line-up, in place of Cole and Sam Nombe.  It was a bright start to the game for City, with new signing Niskanen seeing a lot of the ball down the right-hand side, in doing so, connecting well with both Dion Rankine and Jack Aitchison in and around the Reading penalty area. With the game fully flowing, the away side were starting to make themselves known with Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan starting to cause trouble for the City centre halves. However, it was Charlie Savage who had the best attempt of the game, stinging the palms of Sinisalo from range. City fired straight back with a few chances of their own, a free kick from Carroll found the head of Aimson, who then found Zak Jules, but the towering wing-backs header went narrowly wide of the far post. Next up to the firing range was Demetri Mitchell but his outside of the boot strike was not powerful enough to cause David Button too many issues, as the veteran keeper was able to gather and clear away. City were playing some wonderful football as the first half drew on, with almost everything coming by way of Niskanen. After running half the pitch, he played the ball across the area to Aitchison, who on the spin was able to find the post, but the bounce was kind to Button who was able to gather, clutching the ball off the toes of Mitchell. The resulting corner, led to another huge chance for City as it was quickly taken and found Ryan Trevitt, who after scoring his first career goal last week was looking to double tally, after opening up his body, he sent a curling effort to the far post, but Button was able to again make a fantastic save and tipped the ball behind the post. All the pressure eventually came to fruition as the Grecians found the back of the net in the 34^th minute, with City captain Aimson doubling his tally for the season with a his deft header, after a peach of a cross from Carroll found the centre halves head. Deep into first half added time and against the run of play, the Royals found the equaliser. City were unable to clear the ball from the edge of their own area and Harvey Knibbs was able to capitalise on a Pierce Sweeney slip, slotting the ball past Sinisalo in the City net.

There was a double change at the break for the away side as Amadou Mbengue and Caylon Vickers were replaced by Andy Yiadom and Ben Elliott. City made their first change of the game just after the 60^th minute mark as Zak Jules who was on a yellow was replaced by Cole. It was another City change in the 70^th minute with new signing Niskanen replaced by Nombe resulting in a switch around in positions, with Mitchell going to left wing back and Cole to the right-hand side. Nombe made an instant impact, almost finding the back of the net a few minutes after entering the field of play. With the ball at the edge of his area, Button became too relaxed and Nombe pounced on the keeper falling asleep, but his effort flashed across the face of goal with no-one in the six yard box to tap home. With City needing a goal, Gary made a double change with Vincent Harper and Kyle Taylor coming on to the field to replace Mitchell and Aitchison. There were shouts all around the Big Bank as City approached the 90^th minute, Cole found plenty of space behind the Reading back line but his pass which flashed across the face of goal could not find anyone in red and white. Moments later and the screams and shouts came from all around SJP as Cole had the ball on the edge of the area and let loose with an absolute cannon of a strike to give City the lead and take them to second in the Sky Bet League One table.

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

Subs not used: Woods, Diabate, Borges

Reading: Button, Dean, Knibbs (Mukairu (Tuma)), Savage, Azeez, Ehibhationham, Hutchinson, Mbengue (Yiadom), Abbey ©, Vickers (Elliott), Carson (McIntyre)

Subs not used: Boyce-Clarke, Craig

Referee: Will Finnie

Attendance: 7,956 (1,291 away)

Derek Baker reports on Devon Derby defeat

Exeter City’s Under-18s suffered a defeat to Plymouth Argyle U18s in a five-goal thriller at the Cliff Hill Training Ground in the Youth Alliance South West division.

Theo Cutler’s penalty rewarded the bright start made by Exeter’s youngsters, before the striker netted again just past the midpoint of the first half to make it 2-0.

A strong second period from Argyle, however, saw the game turn on its head, as Freddie Issaka, Joe Hatch and Lewis Colwell all found the back of the net to steal all three points away from their Devon counterparts. That result leaves the Grecians in the bottom half of the league standings on three points after three games, while the Pilgrims sit at the top with a 100% record. Following their 4-0 defeat the week before against Portsmouth U18s, Tom Donati was hoping for a positive response from his squad, as Scott Simmons and Liam Oakes came into the starting XI. With that intent, the hosts began proceedings strongly, and in the opening 10 minutes, they found numerous routes to Plymouth’s goal, however, Dan Holman stood firm with several athletic saves all from Cutler, Tom Dean and Santino Ohanaka. But City’s pressure was rather relentless, and their bright start was rewarded shortly after when striker Cutler found the back of the net for the second consecutive home match this season to break the deadlock. A quick set-piece routine allowed the Exeter attack to get inside the penalty box, before Aamir Stanford-Daniels fired at goal. With Holman denying the initial shot, Cutler reacted quickest and slotted in the rebound to make it 1-0. Donati had his team playing on the front foot both in and out of possession, and on 26 minutes, the Grecians doubled their lead after a mistake from Holman. The shot-stopper lost possession in a dangerous area, before he committed a foul while trying to retrieve the ball to atone for his mistake. Cutler cooly converted from 12 yards to put his team in pole position. Ohanaka received lengthy treatment for an injury, and his departure from the game proved decisive in how the rest of the game panned out. Eight minutes after half-time, the visitors won a free-kick in a threatening position, and Issaka curled an effort around the wall and into the bottom corner to half the deficit. On the hour mark, the scores were tied courtesy of an attack down the Pilgrims right. Colwell picked out Hatch, who looped a header over Dylan Shanahan to make it two goals apiece. The comeback was complete in the 68th minute when the home defence failed to clear their lines. The ball came to Colwell, who powered a volley past Shanahan to make it 3-2. A reaction from such a setback can show a lot about a group of individuals, and Donati and the City squad will be hoping to bounce back from this defeat to their rivals quickly, with the reverse fixture of the Devon Derby currently scheduled for mid-January. Exeter's youngsters return to action though on Saturday 16th September, when they travel to Bristol Rovers U18s.

Exeter City Under-18s: Dylan Shanahan, Scott Simmons, Max Edgecombe, Liam Oakes, Tom Dean, Aamir Stanford-Daniels, Guilio Maroni, Jake Richards, Alfie Cunningham, Santino Ohanaka, Theo Cutler

Subs: Rafa Beadman, Sam Joce, Harry Crees, Rohullah Mohammadi