Exeter go down to defeat at Tranmere but are now six points from promotion
EXETER City’s unbeaten run came to an end after a disappointing 2-0 defeat at Tranmere Rovers. Two cheap and poor goals were conceded at Prenton Park as City were beaten for the first time in ten.
Offrande Zanzala struck the crossbar in the early stage of a first half the Grecians created the better of the half-chances in, only to go behind just before the break when Kane Hemmings’ cross was turned home by Josh Hawkes from close range on 40 minutes.
Hemmings himself could have made it two early in the second half, while Jevani Brown and Tim Dieng both missed good chances for City, who, despite all their possession and territory, failed to create anything clear-cut, before Elliott Nevitt headed the second home ten minutes from time.
It was only a second defeat in 20 for City, and ended the nine game unbeaten run, and was a setback in their promotion hopes. But with Port Vale losing at home to Bristol Rovers, the Grecians stayed second in the table, and Mansfield Town’s surprise defeat at Carlisle United means rather than eight points from five to get promoted, it is now only six from four.
Matt Taylor also made two changes to the Exeter side who beat Colchester United 2-0. Alex Hartridge missed out with a hamstring injury that could end his season, while skipper Matt Jay dropped to the bench. In came Cheick Diabate in defence and Callum Rowe to bolster the midfield.
In front of a raucous-sounding crowd, Sweeney had to nod behind a dangerous McManaman cross in the early stages with Elliott Nevitt lurking to tap home had he missed it. From the resulting corner, the winger beat Cameron Dawson to the ball, but headed over the bar from six yards out.
But with ten minutes gone, and on their first foray forward, City came close to breaking the deadlock. Archie Collins picked the ball up midway inside the Rovers half, he slid the ball through to Zanzala, and from a narrow angle, the striker let fly. It had the power to beat Joe Murphy, but cannoned off the crossbar and to safety.
Chances were flowing, as Nevitt forced Dawson into a smart save after a quick counter-attack, while City then went straight up the other end and won a corner. Diabate rose highest at the near post, but headed inches wide.
It had been a frantic start with both sides looking to go for it, and Peter Clarke nearly turned a Rowe cross into his own net. From the corner, Josh Key’s cross was met by Sam Stubbs, but the defender nodded wide. At the other end, Lee O’Connor’s dripping free-kick was well saved by Dawson.
But on 40 minutes, the Super Whites took the lead. Nevitt attacked down the right and spun his man, Kane Hemmings drove to the byline and pulled the ball across the face of goal, and Hawkes reacted quickest and got there ahead of Key to drill home and make it 1-0. It was the first goal City had conceded in four, but was a poor one.
Taylor’s men rallied though and in stoppage time, came close to levelling. Key drove forward and beat two men and stood up a teasing cross to the back post but Tim Dieng arrived late and couldn’t get his header on target.
Hemmings came close again shortly afterwards. McManaman and Nevitt combined nicely to pull the ball back to him, but Stubbs threw his body in the way to block the effort.
The corner was cleared and then led to a bizarre incident in which a ball boy was ejected from the stadium after throwing the ball away from Diabate - the City man was booked for his part in the incident.
It was the defender’s last act before being taken off on the hour, with Rowe also going off in a double sub, with Jay and Josh Coley coming on as Taylor rolled the dice and went to a back four, as for all the possession and territory City had, clear-cut chances were few and far between.
Padraig Amond replaced Zanzala with 15 minutes to go for City’s final change, and the Irishman would surely have scored with his first touch had Tom Davies not got a touch to a Coley cross, as Rovers tried to hold on to their fragile lead, barely creating anything of note, before Nevitt made it 2-0.
Merrie found space on the left and swung in a cross, and the striker, who got the winner in the reverse fixture, was left unmarked. He guided his header into the bottom corner of the net to double the lead with his eighth of the season.
Jack Sparkes twice saw shots from distance blocked as City tried in vain to rescue something from the game, before, in stoppage time, Exeter finally had a shot on target; Dieng forcing a Murphy save from the edge of the box, as Exeter slipped to only a seventh defeat of the season against a Rovers side who climbed back into the top seven.
The loss was a setback for City in their hopes of automatic promotion, but their fate is still very much in their own hands. And with Mansfield being beaten, despite the defeat, City only need six more points to mathematically guarantee promotion.
If results go their way, the Grecians can still go up on Saturday if they beat Rochdale at St James Park. But three points at the weekend would be huge.