Exeter City 3-1 Gillingham 

Penalties pay off for tenacious Grecians

Report by Mark Halliwell

Gillingham's  left back Peter Johnson will want to forget his return trip to the West Country. Johnson, who spent a brief spell at St James's Park five years ago, conceded two penalties both of which were converted by Exeter's leading marksman Darran Rowbotham and to compound his misery he was booked 16 minutes from time. Both times City player- coach Clive Whitehead was on the receiving end, in this bizarre game of three penalties.

Rowbotham's two spot kicks pulled City round after Steve Lovell had put Gillingham ahead after 16 minutes, also from the penalty spot. Steve Neville rounded it all off with a third for City seven minutes from time to extend their unbeated home record to 16 matches. City started with the wind at their backs, and Brian McDermott was close to breaking through after just five minutes. A long Kevin Miller goal kick was beautifully controlled by Neville who laid the ball wide into McDermott's path, but his curling 20 yard effort flashed inches wide. The early exchanges were littered with tenacious and at times clumsy challenges. Both sides took time to get accustomed to the conditions, the pitch made difficult by heavy rain, which was still driving across the pitch early on. Mark Cooper and Paul Haylock had been in the thick of this early action, and it was another clash between them which brought Gillingham's penalty. A long free kick was swung across the face of the City goal, and Shaun Taylor rose above his opposite number Alan Walker on the far post. The ball fell nicely for Haylock but before he could line up a shot, Cooper rashly pulled him back and Welsh referee John Deakin had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.  Former Welsh international Lovell stepped up and sent Miller the wrong way. This shock seemed to be just the jolt City needed, and with Danny Bailey in inspired form in the midfield, they pressed forward relentlessly in search of an equaliser. Scott Hiley swung a 23rd minute free kick into the danger area and Taylor flew in and headed just wide. Five minutes later, Gillingham keeper Ron Hill- yard nervously gathered a long wind-assisted free kick from Whitehead and fumbled it over the line for a corner, but City could not capitalise on this erroг. There was a two minute hold up on 38 minutes when a long ball from McDermott was punched away by Hillyard as Taylor closed in leaving both players lying injured in the muddy goalmouth. Taylor was soon back on his feet but Hillyard needed extensive treatment, and the appearance of the stretcher looked ominous, but thankfully was not required. This stoppage was eventually to turn to City's advantage, as they finally drew level two minutes into first half injury time. Whitehead rode two tackles down the left wing before he was nudged off the ball by Johnson. Rowbotham stepped up and, despite missing a penalty in Wednesday's 3-2 FA Cup win over Maidstone, he confidently struck the kick to Hillyard's left. Gillingham, after having only one worthwhile first half effort, nearly shocked City again after a right wing cross from former Exeter player Mark O'Connor, making his debut for Gillingham, fell nicely for ex-Plymouth Argyle striker Miker Trusson, but he was denied by a tremendous tackle by Jim McNichol. Whitehead was on the re- ceiving end again as City went in front after 62 minutes. He was tripped by Johnston as he crept into the box, leaving Rowbotham to take his sea- son's total to 20 goals with an- other confident penalty. Straight after, both sides made a switch City boss Terry Cooper replacing his son Mark with Paul Batty and Gillingham introducing Billy Manuel for Tim O'Shea. This almost had an immediate effect, as Gillingham came within inches of an equaliser. A speculative Lee Palmer cross somehow weaved its way through the packed goal- mouth and Hiley was forced to clear off the line. Rowbotham was unselfish on 73 minutes when, after breaking out of his own half with the Gillingham defence nowhere, he led in McDermott on the left when he might have gone for his hat-trick, but McDermott's shot was well wide. City wrapped up the points seven minutes from time with a fine goal. Ian Benjamin found Bailey on the left wing. His pace took him to the by-line before sending an inch-perfect cross which left Neville the simple task of scoring from three yards.

Exeter City 
Miller Hiley Benjamin McNichol Taylor Whitehead Rowbotham. Bailey McDermott. Neville Cooper
Subs: Batty (for Cooper, 63 mins), Frankland.

Gillingham:
Hillyard, Haylock, Johnson, Haines, Walker, Palmer, Trusson, O'Shea (Manuel, 63 mins), Lovell, Heritage (Gavin. 70 mins), O'Connor.

Referee:
Mr J. Deakin (South Glamorgan)

Bookings:
Neville (Exeter),
Johnson and Haines (Gillingham).

Scorers: Rowbotham 2 (2 pens), Neville
Attendance: 3818