United line-up: Barrett, Matt Joseph, Granville, Hayes, Craddock, Raynor, Ashbee, Wanless, Taylor, Kyd (Richards 86), Beall
Subs not used: Thompson, Williamson
Booked: Granville (foul 34), Joseph (foul 61)

Gareth Challis' match report:
It seems that U's games this season are guaranteed to have one of two elements in them. The first is a late goal, costing us valuable points and the other is the old cliche, 'A game of two halves' ... and while we were all nervous in the last few minutes of the 90 (and during the 5 minutes of injury time which came out of nowhere), it was definitely the latter of the two elements that dominated this game.

The U's couldn't have started better. Only 40 seconds on the clock when a throw from Raynor on the left was nodded on, and after some scrappy defending the ball fell to Kyd 10 yards out and he placed the ball cleanly into the corner of the net giving Exeter's manager/goalkeeper, Peter Fox, no chance whatsoever.

It was the perfect start, giving United an enthusiasm to win the game, and for the first 20 minutes they dominated the game. Exeter started to get back into the game gradually, although they never looked like they would get further than our penalty area.

Just as they were getting back into things, United suckerpunched the visitors with the goal we were all waiting for ... Shaggy's come home ! Some good play out on the left wing, before Kyd (?) crossed over the backline of the defence to Taylor who flighted his header perfectly over the 'keeper and into the far corner. One of the better goals scored at the Abbey this season.

It didn't shake Exeter as much as we would have hoped. They kept battling and then on 34 minutes (and out of the blue), a cross was not dealt with and Blake placed a bullet header past Barrett.

We weren't nervous, honest.

The game seemed to grind pretty much to a halt in the remaining 10 minutes of the first half, until a Raynor rocket was parried by Fox. Kyd was the first (and only) player to react quick enough to blast the ball through the 'keeper's legs.

So, half-time and we lead 3-1 ... the only thing missing was Marvin the Moose.

For the first ten minutes of the second half we looked comfortable, but not anything more than that. Disaster struck on 56 minutes when another cross from the right was headed in by Flack, not giving Barrett any chance. Hayes had all the time in the world to get to the player who crossed the ball, but he looked sluggish and not match fit at all.

We still weren't nervous, honest.

From that point, United were terrible, giving the ball away in every conceivable way possible; mis-cueing the ball, missing it all together, giving it to the opposition in dangerous places ... we were extremely poor in the second half, lacking ideas and looked just like the Under-13 Sunday league I used to play for, only in Amber and Black ! It was very reminiscent of the home match against Cardiff City. If we were behind after 45 minutes there was no way we would have got a point out of the game.

Simply put : If Exeter were in the top 4 or 5, we would have been hammered into the ground. As it was, the only shots they had on goal that I remember were the two they scored and a bad miss in the first half from just a couple of yards out which skimmed the outside of the post.

The only United chance worth noting in the second half was when Shaggy was put through the middle, took the ball round the 'keeper only to see his shot cleared off the line.

What matters though is that the U's gained three valuable points when they needed it most, although it wasn't always 'sexy' football :)

Ratings:

Barrett		7 - Nothing to do really, no chance with the two goals.
Joseph		7 - Mr. Reliable
Granville	9 - Excellent game *MoM*
Hayes		5 - Not match fit ... time to rest him
Craddock	6 - Dodgy second half
Raynor		7 - Average
Ashbee		6 - Vital clearance in the last minute of injury time.
Wanless		6 - Average
Taylor		8 - Won everything in the air
Kyd 		7 - Two good goals, lots of running, but knackered
		    in the second half.
Beall		7 - Reasonable

Subs:

Richards	- Came on for the tired Kyd on 86 minutes. Full of running
		  but should have came on much, much earlier.

Gareth

Many thanks to Gareth Challis for his report.

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