Exeter City 1 Stevenage 0 - Grecians win again and move into top half

Exeter City made it six games unbeaten as they moved into the top half of the League One table with a hard-fought win at St James Park over Stevenage.

An uneventful first half sprung into life on 37 minutes when the Grecians took the lead with their first real chance. Sonny Cox charged down the goalkeeper’s clearance, the ball broke to Reece Cole, and he calmly slotted into the empty net to make it 1-0.

Dion Rankine missed a golden chance to make it two, slashing into the side netting. Jamie Reid, against his former club, headed narrowly wide, while Vil Sinisalo made a series of vital saves.

The win for City takes them to 54 points and up to 12^th in the League One table, and is their longest unbeaten run in the third tier since November 2011. The defeat for Stevenage hit their play-off hopes, as it is now eight without a win as they slipped to ninth.

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Following the 2-1 win at Cheltenham Town on Easter Monday, Exeter City manager Gary Caldwell made four changes to the Grecians side. In came Rankine, Vincent Harper, Cole and Cox.

Ilmari Niskanen and Jack Aitchison dropped down to the bench, while Yanic Wildschut and Mo Eisa were not involved in the matchday squad. Jake Richards and Caleb Watts were named on the bench, while Alex Hartridge wore the captain’s armband, despite Pierce Sweeney, Will Aimson and Cole all starting.

It was Stevenage who created the first chance, with Louis Thompson’s powerful strike from the edge of the box being blocked by Aimson. Cox made City’s first chance himself when he charged down Taye Ashby-Hammond's clearance, but it bounced away from goal.

Cox had half a shout for a penalty when he appeared to be bundled over by Terence Vancooten waved away by referee Lewis Smith, while Rankine was getting the better of Dan Butler down the right, but the final ball wasn’t finding a red and white shirt.

Former Grecian academy product Reid created a great chance for Stevenage when he knocked down a long ball back to the onrushing Alex MacDonald, but Sinisalo stayed big and kept out the low effort. Jordan Roberts then fired over from the resulting corner.

At the other end, Luke Harris got on the end of a low Rankine cross, but Ashby-Hammond was equal to the task and made the save. The Chelsea loanee then picked out Cole on the edge of the box, but the midfielder curled his effort wide of the target, as did Tom Carroll, moments later, when the ball broke to him.

But in the 37^th minute, the Grecians broke the deadlock. It was third time lucky for Cox charging down Ashby-Hammond’s attempted clearance, as this time the ball rebounded into the path of Cole. The 26-year-old was presented with an empty net, which from 25 yards, he rolled the ball into, for a seventh goal of the season, and to the delight of the Big Bank.

It was Cox’s last action of the half as shortly after he limped off injured, Aitchison the man who replaced him upfront. Cole had another effort from distance saved in first half stoppage-time, but the Grecians went in with the deserved lead.

Neither manager made a change at the break, although Alex MacDonald soon limped off with injury, as had Luther Wildin in the first 45 minutes, forcing Steve Evans to make a second forced alteration. The visitors came close to an equaliser when Butler’s cross was met on the volley by Reid, but Sinisalo made the save. That was the cue for Evans to make a triple sub, using the last of his options off the bench with only 55 minutes played.

Rankine had a great chance to double the lead on the hour. He robbed Butler on the edge of the box, who stopped as the ball was flat. But the game continued, and one-on-one with the keeper, he slashed into the side netting. That was his last contribution, as he and Harper were then replaced by Watts and Niskanen. Reid for Stevenage then headed narrowly wide for the visitors.

Butler twice was lucky to avoid a second yellow for stopping counter-attacks, while Cole was perhaps lucky as well to get away with a swing of the arm at a Stevenage man as the game was becoming very tetchy. Richards and Millenic Alli replaced Cole and Harris with Caldwell’s final subs.

Kane Smith saw a teasing cross drift inches wide as the visitors pushed for an equaliser, as seven minutes of stoppage-time was added-on. But City held firm for the 1-0 victory.

Exeter City are back in action on Tuesday night when they travel to Leyton Orient, where they can mathematically secure survival. The Grecians then are away to Port Vale next Saturday.

Exeter City: Vil Sinisalo, Pierce Sweeney, Will Aimson, Alex Hartridge, Dion Rankine (Caleb Watts, 60), Tom Carroll, Ryan Woods, Vincent Harper (Ilmari Niskanen 60), Reece Cole (Jake Richards, 75), Luke Harris (Millenic Alli, 75), Sonny Cox (Jack Aitchison, 43).

Subs: Shaun McDonald, Cheick Diabate,

Booking: Carroll, Watts

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