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Exeter City F.C. - Match Details Exeter City F.C. - Match Details
Saturday 25th January 1997
| Exeter City 0 | Colchester Utd. 3 |
(Half Time: 0-2) |
|
City Details:
| Team: | Bayes, Chamberlain, Rice, Minett (Hughes 68), Blake, N.Richardson, Rowbotham, J.Richardson, Braithwaite, Bailey (Medlin h/t), McConnell (Flack h/t) |
| Subs
Not Used: |
|
Scorers: |
|
| Bookings: | Bailey |
Colchester Details:
| Team: | Emberson, Gregory, Gibbs, McCarthy, Greene, Buckle, Fry, Wilkins, Locke, Adcock (Lock 85), Abrahams (Dunne 66) |
| Subs
Not Used: |
Reinelt |
Scorers: |
Abrahams (16), Locke (27, 55) |
| Bookings: |
Match Facts:
| Attendance: | 2,666 |
| Goals: | Abrahams 16(0-1), Locke 27(0-2), 55(0-3) |
| Referee: | John Brandwood (Lichfield) |
| Groovy Grecian: | Ashley Bayes |
Star Ratings:
| Bayes |  |
| Chamberlain | |
| Rice | |
| Minett | |
| Blake | |
| Richardson N | |
| Rowbotham | |
| Richardson J | |
| Braithwaite | |
| Bailey | |
| McConnell | |
| Flack | |
| Medlin | |
| Hughes | |
Match Report:
Peter Fox must have been hoping that the weather conditions would worsen and end the game before time as it did 25 miles away at Torquay. But alas it didn't and Fox, along with the 2,500 City supporters, had to watch in dismay at the pathetic performance his squad gave for 90 minutes.
It was all doom and gloom, Flack substituted McConnell at half time and produced an encouraging performance, along with Nicky Medlin.
The only chance that City had of scoring in the first half was when Minett floated in a cross from the right and Darren Rowbotham headed straight at the Colchester keeper Carl Emberson. Colchester scored twice in the first half, but it could have easily been more. Paul Abrahams converted his fifth of the season after the Greacians' defense had been cruelly exposed.
A long ball was played by David Greene from the half-way line which landed neatly for Chris Fry who slipped past Gary Rice, who had a terrible time keeping up with his man, and pulled the ball back for Tony Adcock. His first time shot was brilliantly saved by Bayes, but the ball fell to Abrahams who made no mistake from ten yards out. Locke made it 2-0 with a superb strike 25-yards out, from a cross by Abrahams, ten minutes later. Locke could have added to his first goal five minutes later but shot into the side netting.
United won two corners in succession, the first was cleared by Flack only for Fry to return the ball with interest. It kissed Bayes' right hand post after deflecting off Minett. The second corner, taken by Gibbs on the left, was again only partially headed away and the loose ball fell to Locke who smashed a right foot volley past a helpless Bayes.
City responded with Flack heading the ball at Emberson only for frontman Leon Braithwaite to stab the ball wide from six yards out. But a linesman's raised flag saved Braithwaite from acute embarrassment. Richardson had a speculative 25 yards shot smothered by Emberson and Rowbotham should have done better when Braithwaite poked a pass through the United 'keeper's legs only for Richard Wilkins to clear the danger.
Flack turned smartly after Blake played the ball into his feet on the edge of the box, but Emberson was up to his task and managed to block resulting shots from Chamberlain and Medlin. Hughes had an attempted from 30 yards but it went too high before Fry had two chances to increase the lead on the break. Bayes had to save a low ball to his left and then a high ball to his right as United cruised to their 14th Third Division match without defeat.
The referee even had time to rub salt into City's wounds when he disallowed a Rice free-kick struck home superbly from 20-yards because Colchester's defensive wall was not in position. The re-taken kick was struck straight at Emberson.
Page last updated: 17 June 1997