The Grecians fall to defeat at home

Exeter City fell to a 4-1 defeat to Mansfield Town at St James Park in Sky Bet League Two.

Two goals from CJ Hamilton and Tyler Walker did the damage on the day with Matt Jay netting City's only goal of the game in the first half.

Grecians’ boss Matt Taylor made two changes to the side that won in injury time last week against Notts County, with Dara O’Shea replacing Troy Brown and Donovan Wilson coming in for the suspended Ryan Bowman.

The visitors started the brighter of the two sides, confident in possession, and first tested Christy Pym with seven minutes on the clock, as CJ Hamilton broke onto a long ball before Craig Woodman and fired a shot off - but City’s number one was equal to the effort, palming it wide.

But it would be Woodman who nearly had a pivotal role for City going forward – a superb pass from the left-back found Donovan Wilson bursting through on goal, but the striker couldn’t get the ball under control before Mansfield’s Conrad Logan pounced on the loose ball.

The opening 10 minutes presented chances for both sides; Hamilton forced Pym into another save from close range just after.

For all the visitors’ early good play, their opening goal was largely of Exeter’s own making. The Grecians conceded possession in their half before a through ball escaped the control of O’Shea, leaving Hamilton to round the onrushing Pym and roll into an open goal.

But the lead lasted less than a minute – City broke down the right through Donovan Wilson, and his cross rebounded in the Mansfield area, and resulted in Jay’s energy rewarded with a goal as the Exeter man bundled the ball over the line.

Mansfield’s shape was causing City a multitude of problems with Hamilton a constant threat, and City were forced to concede possession of the ball in favour of a more defensive style. But it wouldn’t protect them – Pym slipped taking a free-kick, and Mansfield regained possession quickly before releasing Hamilton beyond Dean Moxey, who fired into the City goal from close range.

For the complete match report click HERE

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