Western Morning News (Saturday)
City enjoy a Good Friday
EXETER City moved to within two points of long-time League Two leaders Forest Green Rovers after enjoying a Good Friday with a comfortable 2-0 win over Colchester United thanks to goals from Jack Sparkes and Offrande Zanzala.
In front of a crowd of more than 7,500, City gave the Grecians fans something to shout about on 32 minutes when Sparkes broke the deadlock, coolly drilling home from ten yards, after being slotted through by Jevani Brown. It could have been two shortly, but Archie Collins’ effort came back off the post
Zanzala made it two on 65 minutes, heading into an empty net after being set up nicely by Matt Jay, as City cruised to a comfortable home win. Cameron Dawson had next to nothing to do as he kept a fifth clean sheet in six games.
It is now nine unbeaten for the Grecians, with just one defeat in the last 19 games, and ahead of the 3pm kick-offs, now have an eight point gap back to Mansfield Town in fourth. The easy victory, against a Us side that offered nothing, was a fourth in a row.
Exeter City manager Matt Taylor named an unchanged 11, and indeed substitutes bench, from the side who dramatically won 1-0 at Carlisle United last Saturday. Padraig Amond, on his 34th birthday, remained on the bench despite scoring the winner last week, with Zanzala, Brown and skipper Jay in attack.
For Colchester United, Wayne Brown made three changes from the side who suffered a 2-0 home defeat to Stevenage last Saturday. In came Luke Hannant and Emyr Huws to the midfield, and club captain and New Zealand international Tommy Smith into defence. Myles Kenlock, Alan Judge and Tyreik Wright all dropped to the bench.
On a glorious afternoon, and City attacked the Big Bank in the first half, and after seven minutes, the City faithful nearly had something to sing about. Brown broke an offside trap and curled in a cross, but Zanzala’s looping header was saved by Shamal George.
But it was a scrappy start with a few misplaced passes, although Brown nearly saw an audacious flick against his former club go in.
City were probing, though, and Brown nearly picked out Zanzala with a cross that was just behind him, while Sparkes saw a shot blocked and Josh Key couldn’t pick a man after driving into the penalty area, and then headed wide after a lovely slick passing move and a Pierce Sweeney cross.
But on 32 minutes, City did get the goal. A throw-in was taken quickly to Archie Collins, he found Brown, who then slid the onrushing Sparkes through on the ball. The academy product took a touch and then calmly rolled the ball into the bottom corner of the net for his second of the season and to put the Grecians 1-0 up.
City kept the pressure on and nearly made it two when Collins drove towards the edge of the box and let fly, his effort beating the stationary George but rattling the post. The rebound broke to Brown, but his shot was saved.
Moments later, Zanzala bundled his way into the box, but his flashing effort evaded all the oncoming runners.
Colchester offered nothing in the first half, and perhaps surprisingly didn’t make a change at the break, and the second half began in much the same fashion as the first, with City on the offensive.
Tim Dieng nearly scored after an audacious piece of skill to control a throw-in, but George got a fingertip to his half-volley. From the resulting corner, Sam Stubbs headed wide.
The Frenchman came close on the hour mark to making it two, but George again made the save, tipping a header onto the roof of the net.
But soon after, Exeter did get a second, and it was Zanzala who got it. Collins feigned to shoot on the edge of the box, but checked back onto his right foot. He clipped a cross to the far post when Jay was lurking. The captain could have gone for goal, but had the presence of his mind and selflessness to knock it back across, and the Congolese striker had the easiest of tasks to nod into an empty net.
Brown threw on John Akinde and Judge, but it made no difference, and only good saves from George stopped Jay from quickly making it three.
Alex Hartridge went off after the defender appeared to pick up an injury after a surging run, Cheick Diabate coming on to replace him, while Amond replaced Zanzala, who received a standing ovation.
The Us did have the ball in the net when Brendan Wiredu bundled home a Cameron Coxe cross, but Will Finnie ruled the goal out for a combination of handball and offside. It was in the 80th minute, and their first shot of the contest.
Amond nearly capped his birthday with a goal, but George made another diving stop late on to deny him. But it mattered little as the Grecians had long-since done enough to win.
The win nudges City closer to automatic promotion with five games left to play.
The Grecians are back in action on Monday when they visit Tranmere Rovers.