Another star of the future emerges at Exeter!
SCHOOLBOY goalkeeper Harry Lee did his homework on saving penalties - and emerged as the hero for Exeter City against Cheltenham Town on Tuesday night.
The 16-year-old had no time in which to celebrate, though, as he was back at Exeter College at 9.30am yesterday morning, probably still be buzzing after his star role for the Grecians in the Papa John’s Trophy.
Lee saved penalties from Lewis Freestone and Elliot Bonds in the shoot-out after the game had finished 2-2 in normal time, and after Harry Kite scored to put City ahead, Kyle Vassell dragged his penalty wide.
The academy product guessed correctly for four of the five penalties - only experienced Chris Hussey sent him the wrong way - and having saved two, he would have kept out Vassell’s effort had it been on target and should have stopped Christian Norton’s.
Lee paid tribute to the efforts of the goalkeeping coach Scott Brown and the analysis team who prepped the youngster on what to expect and where to dive for each taker.
“Me and Browny did a lot of work in training on penalties and luckily it paid off, and I’m buzzing,” he said.
“We do a lot of homework and I made myself as big as possible and to get in their head and save it. Credit goes to Browny and the analysis team and long hard work in the area to make sure we had enough on them.
“We could have been out of sight, scored two good goals, but we needed to punish them more, and in the first half felt we would win easily but it didn’t pan out.”
Colin Daniel on his debut for the Grecians headed them home after eight minutes, and they had chances to extend the lead before Ellis Chapman equalised after a free-kick wasn’t cleared.
But Archie Collins pounced on a defensive mistake from Dylan Barkers to cooly slot home seconds later, and City were good value and on course for a winner until 18-year-old Felix Miles rifled home with 20 minutes to go.
Onto penalties it went, and after Padraig Amond and Sonny Cox missed, it looked as if the Robins would claim the extra point, before Lee’s heroics.
It was only a second senior appearance for the youth team product who has been on trial at Premier League clubs such as Chelsea and Everton, but who chose to sign professional terms at St James Park in the summer.