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Exeter
City F.C. - Latest Match Details Exeter
City F.C. - Latest Match Details
Saturday 19th April 1997
| Northampton 4 | Exeter City 1 |
(Half Time: 1-0) |
|
City Details:
| Team: | Bayes, Steele, Hughes, Minett, Blake, Hare(Baddeley 60), Rowbotham, Richardson, Braithwaite, Medlin, Myers |
| Subs
Not Used: |
McConnell, Bailey |
Scorers: |
Rowbotham |
| Bookings: | Blake, Steele, Rowbotham |
Northampton:
| Team: | Woodman, Clarkson, Frain, Sampson, Warburton, Rennie, Parrish, Cooper, Gayle (O'Shea 79), White, Hunter |
| Subs
Not Used: |
Gibb, Grayson |
Scorers: |
Parrish, Cooper 2, Gayle |
| Bookings: |
Match Facts:
| Attendance: | 6,400 |
| Goals: | Parrish 44 (1-0), Cooper 47 (2-0), Cooper 53 (3-0), Gayle 71 (4-0), Rowbotham 90 (4-1) |
| Referee: | Robert Harris (Oxford) |
| Star Grecian: | Darren Rowbotham |
Match Report:
Sean Parrish's against-the-run-of-play opener just before half-time eased the hosts' nerves. And a three goal blitz in the space of 14 second-half minutes extended Exeter's 24-year wait for victory at the Cobblers' workshop. Darren Rowbotham reduced the arrears with an injury-time penalty. Yet Rowbotham's 11th goal of the term may prove more than mere consolation if the goals-scored total are eventually required to settle the relegation issue.
City held the balance of power in the opening period. But without striker Glen Crowe following the on-loan marksman's midweek recall to Wolves after a five-goal contribution to the Grecians' cause, the visitors rarely threatened to wreck Northampton's boast of three consecutive clean sheets. And they found themselves trailing when Mark Cooper's 44th minute drive was blocked and the ball squirted neatly for Parrish to lash past Ashley Bayes form 16 yards.
It was a cruel blow and City never recovered. The hosts fortuitously doubled the deficit inside 90 seconds of the second half: Bayes fatally deceived as Cooper shinned a looping volley into the top corner. Rowbotham and Noel Blake - shuffled into midfield in an effort to counter the Cobblers' daunting aerial presence - then wasted opportunities to reduce the arrears. And it was quickly 3-0 as the inspired Cooper found himself unchaperoned at the far post to butt his 11th goal of the term from Ian Clarkson's 53rd minute cross.
Jason White, John Gayle and Cooper all went close to deepening Exeter's agony before substitute Lee Baddeley forced former City goalkeeper Andy Woodman into his first genuine industry. Cooper and White did the spadework and Gayle provided the clinical finish to make it 4-0 but Baddeley should have quickly reduced the arrears, nodding over an unguarded net when Woodman flapped typically at Tim Steele's free-kick. However, the former City glovesman in his eight-month spell at St James's Park in the 1994/95 season - was eventually beaten in the time referee Robert Harris allocated for second-half stoppages. David Rennie handled Jason Minett's pass and Rowbotham gratefully accepted the invitation to lash home.
Next Match:
Saturday 26th April V Chester City (H) (Div. 3) 
Page last updated: 25 April 1997