NOW CITY ON BRINK

Exeter 2-0 Aldershot 

Report by Trina Lake 

Exeter City are enjoying a couple of well- deserved rest days to recharge their batteries be- fore the final run-in to the end of a season that now looks increasingly certain to yield promotion from Division 4 and even the championship itself. The confident win over Aldershot at St James's Park yesterday put City seven points clear of second placed Grimsby, who play Scunthorpe tonight. And at this stage, with most of the traditionally decisive Easter programme complete, City are within touching distance of manager Terry Cooper's targets. "We've achieved one so far - we can't get relegated. Now we're aiming for the play-offs, then the top three and ulti- mately the title. But we're not there yet," said the City boss when asked if the celebratory champagne was already on ice. The bubbly may not be chilling just yet but City should at least be inquiring about the price of a magnum or two. They now need just two points from their remaining five games to be assured of at least a play-off spot. Five more points will guarantee automatic promotion, given that their goal difference is so dramati- cally superior to most others in the division. And eight points would bring the championship trophy to St James's Park for the first time. City looked to be playing well within their capabilities as they extended a remarkable unbeaten home run to 28 ga- mes, particularly after Aldershot were reduced to 10 men in the 50th minute. Midfielder Jerry Williams was sent off by Luffenham referee John Ashman for a foul on Angus McPherson, mo- ments after being spoken to for a clash with the same player. McPherson had to be car- ried off with a jarred knee but thankfully City hardly missed the determined Scot as they continued to dominate. They were already leading through Steve Neville's 17th goal of the season, struck superbly on the half hour. Richard Young grabbed a fine second in the 63rd minute. to give full satisfaction to a bumper bank holiday crowd of nearly 7,000. City have relied heavily on the goalscoring abilities of their defenders in recent weeks but Neville and Young were justly rewarded for ex- cellent performances as their very different skills combined to cause Aldershot's defence considerable problems. In stark contrast, City's back four had a largely trouble-free afternoon against Aldershot's punchless attack. It was the sort of comeback Lee Rogers must have hoped for. With Jim McNichol sus- pended, he returned to the starting line-up for a league game after six months out in the cold, and cruised his way. through it to share in a special word of praise from the man- ager along with Young. "I thought they were the pick today," said Cooper. It was tough to single anybody out from such a thorough team performance though. Aldershot, clearly a team, that puts the emphasis on skill rather than muscle, were positive without being penetrating early on. But once City had taken the lead they had little to offer in response, bar a flashing Glenn Burvill drive that Kevin Miller tipped over and a second half break that promised much but produced nothing when Rogers imperiously robbed Burvill as he tried to set up the potentially dangerous David Puckett. City had gone close a couple of times before Neville's opener, set up for him by Richard Dryden's good run down the left and an accurate layoff. The finish was outstanding with Neville showing great composure to pick his moment and target before beating Beeney with a low, 15-yard drive that whistled just inside the keeper's right hand post. The City striker turned provider in the 37th minute with an inviting far post cross that Young and Dryden con- trived to bungle when a se- cond goal seemed certain. There was little doubt that City would increase their lead once Williams had received his marching orders and the in- evitable happened after Mark Beeney, on loan from Maidstone, had pulled off one brilliant save to deny Young. There was nothing he could do to prevent the big City striker bagging his third goal of the season, however, when Brian McDermott rose well on the edge of the penalty area to flick on a Dryden free kick. Young anticipated well, controlled the ball and thundered a shot into the roof of the net off the underside of the crossbar. From then on it was an exercise in damage limitation for Aldershot and they did it fairly effectively as City's enthusiasm often got the better of them.

Exeter City: Miller, Hiley, McPher- son (Whitehead 50), Rogers, Taylor, Dryden, Kelly, Bailey, McDermott, Neville, Young. Sub (not used) Rowe.

Aldershot: Beeney, Brown, Phillips, Burvill, Ogley, Wignall, Wil- liams, Puckett, Stewart (Anderson 80), Henry, Randall. Sub (not used) Smith.

Attendance: 6,832.