Exeter City climb up the table after 3 - 0 victory
Report: Exeter City 3 Fleetwood Town 0
Exeter City ended a winless run at home in emphatic style with a 3-0 win that was merited to a man against Fleetwood Town.
The Grecians were excellent throughout the 90 minutes and could have battered the Cod Army by a more telling scoreline in truth, but a standing ovation from the home faithful was well-deserved come the final whistle.
The scoring was opened when Danny Butterfield’s perfect free-kick found Jon Parkin, who turned into his own goal.
Eliot Richards struck twice in four minutes after the interval – the first as he got on the end of a corner routine, and the second as he was first to react to a ball spilled by Fleetwood stopper Chris Maxwell – as City got back to winning ways at the Park.
City named a completely unchanged matchday squad from last weekend’s trip to Newport, while Fleetwood had Thursday morning’s loan signing Iain Hume on the bench, but name an unchanged starting XI after beating Portsmouth at Highbury.
That means that Tom Nichols starts in attack, supported by Eliot Richards and Matt Oakley. Matt Grimes begins on the bench, and will make a 30th first-team appearance in his first campaign if he is called on as a sub.
Fleetwood registered the game’s first shot within the opening seconds as Jamille Matt fed Antoni Sarcevic, but goalkeeper Artur Krysiak got down to the 18-yard shot well.
But that was as close as the Cod Army came to creating an opening in the first quarter of an hour, as the Grecians created plenty of chances with a high-tempo approach.
The first golden chance came as Liam Sercombe pounced on a loose clearance and fed Nichols – the striker crossed low from the byline towards Oakley at the back stick, but Conor McLaughlin did enough to put him off six yards from goal.
Sercombe in particular was bringing the fight to midfield and everything loose was being gobbled up quickly. Craig Woodman’s outside-of-the-boot cross just evaded Oakley, and Tom Nichols was just robbed by a perfect Nathan Pond tackle after a nice low cross by Butterfield.
But Butterfield was the provider when City took the lead midway through the first period. It was his perfect delivery from a free-kick wide on the right that had Fleetwood scrambling at the far post, and it was the hapless Jon Parkin that turned into his own net.
City were maintaining the breathless tempo and Nichols was denied one of the goals of the season by a great reaction save from Chris Maxwell. A great flowing move from City saw Oakley control and tee up the striker in the box, and a screaming half-volley from six yards was somehow turned out.
Jamille Matt had a half-chance just before the interval as a free-kick from deep found the ball bobbling into his path at the edge of the area, but he hooked over.
Half-time: Exeter City 1 Fleetwood Town 0
For the full report visit http://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/fixtures-results/match-report/?matchid=363...
