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Cambridge United: (4-3-3) Barrett, Chenery, Ashbee, Duncan, Joseph, Campbell, Wanless, Beall (Taylor 66'), Butler, Kyd, Benjamin.
Subs: Wilson, Moore.
Exeter City: Bayes, Devlin, Gale, Blake, Clark, Baddeley, Flack, Phillips (Williams 82'), McConnell (Rowbotham 59'), Birch, Richardson.
Sub not used: Holloway.
Booked: Flack (foul 33'); Devlin (foul 59'); Blake (foul 63'); Phillips (foul 82').
Sent off: Flack (dissent 54')
Ref: D. R. Crick (Worcester Park)
Shots On Target: Cambridge 7, Exeter City 7
Corners: Cambridge 12, Exeter City 4
[Julie Mansfield's match report] [Exeter Express and Echo match report] [My summary of media reports]
Julie Mansfield's match report:
Well, we were a bit slow in the first half, and never really got going. Scotty managed to parry the ball away after the first shot, only for someone to score the rebound. We thought he should of really held the original shot as it wasn't very strong.
The second half was a different story with United playing some good football and getting in some good positions. We pinned them in their own half for much of the 45 minutes, if it wasn't for their keeper making some excellent saves, we could have scored 2 or 3. Trevor Benjamin hit a powerful shot from just outside the box, it looked set to hit the top corner of the goal, only for the keeper to make the save. We had another couple of good chances which the keeper managed somehow to clear. We hit the crossbar and the post, but unfortunately for us not the goal.
Although we lost by 1 goal, it doesn't really give the full story. Mark Flack was his usual arms and legs self, and the referee finally realised this after about 25 mins. He was booked and then about 10 minutes later sent off for slamming the ball down in temper. The only bad thing about the day was it took 3 and a half hours to get there, and 5 and a half back.
Julie
Exeter Express and Echo report:
FOUR months ago Ashley Bayes was the scapegoat for a defeat that put the first dent in Exeter City's Division 3 promotion hopes. The goalkeeper was blasted by manager Peter Fox after two bizarre errors had helped condemn the Grecians to a St James's Park defeat at the hands of lofty rivals Lincoln.
That 2-1 December reverse denied the early-season pacesetters the chance to regain top spot. It began a slide that has subsequently seen Exeter drift out of the play-off zone. And Bayes was promptly axed - in favour of triallist James Dungey - for a defeat at Cambridge.
Bayes has his critics. But the 25-year-old glovesman has recovered admirably from that mid-term hiccup and is now possibly producing the most-consistent form of his Exeter career. Doubts remain over his vulnerability at set-pieces. But Bayes' reflexes are sharp enough to rival those of ex-City favourite Kevin Miller - sharp, but not sharp enough to prevent current club Crystal Palace slithering out of the Premiership. And the 88th minute stop that secured yesterday's crucial 1-0 win over Cambridge was exceptional.
City, leading courtesy of Paul Birch's early strike, were severely tested following the 54th minute dismissal of Steve Flack for a second bookable offence. Bayes had already reeled off a handful of smart saves - and seen Trevor Benjamin and Paul Wanless rattle his woodwork - when Michael Kyd delivered the U's ninth corner of a one-sided second period.
Bayes' detractors would insist he should have claimed the flagkick. But his astonishing point-blank block from the resulting Wanless header preserved a clean sheet and City's play-off aspirations. Fox's men, in their first outing since a 5-0 demolition of Chester, began suitably confidently. The lively Martin Phillips almost chiselled a chance for Barry McConnell and Mark Devlin volleyed over in the spell of sustained pressure that brought Birch's opener.
The former Aston Villa and Wolves star saw his original drive beaten away by Scott Barrett after good work by McConnell to fashion the shooting opportunity. But the ball squirmed loose for Devlin to fire goalwards again. And, when Barrett couldn't hold again, Birch was following up to ram home from four yards.
Bayes immediately foiled Wanless and Kyd before Phillips twice tested Barrett after cutting inside. And only an excellent Jamie Campbell clearance prevented Birch locating an empty net with an intelligent chip when Barrett dashed off his line to fist away Devlin's free-kick.
Benjamin sliced Kyd's 44th minute cross against the Exeter crossbar and Bayes plunged on Kyd's fierce free-kick soon after the break. But City were potentially facing trouble when Flack was red-carded by fussy referee David Crick. The giant striker - deputising for hamstring injury victim Darran Rowbotham - had already been cautioned for a first-half foul on Kyd.
Crick's decision to penalise McConnell for a foul on Marc Joseph was questionable. Flack reacted by hurling the ball to the ground in frustration. Crick deemed that endorsement of his latest gaffe as dissent and Flack departed to face the wrath of a furious Fox.
Billy Beall quickly came close to a leveller before Bayes saved brilliantly from Benjamin. John Taylor then fired fractionally wide following excellent work by Wanless and Martin Butler.
Substitute Rowbotham almost provided some relief with a spectacular overhead volley. But the respite was brief. Jon Richardson's superbly-timed tackle halted Butler's surging run, Benjamin's far-post header was smuggled to safety by Billy Clark and Wanless butted Kyd's 76th minute corner against the Exeter crossbar.
Bayes then gratefully clutched another Benjamin header and also denied Taylor before his stunning last-gasp effort foiled Wanless.
Reproduced without permission but with the best of intentions!
Summary of media reports:
South African Mark Moore was on the bench for the first time today after some impressive games for the reserves. The 25-year-old is on non-contract terms until the end of the season after making his name in the USA playing for New Hampshire College and he can play in defence or midfield.
But the only change to the eleven that beat Peterborough on Saturday was the anticipated return of Paul Wanless from suspension. He replaced veteran David Preece, who was his outstanding deputy in the victory on Saturday. Unfortunately it was another veteran midfielder - Exeter's Paul Birch - who grabbed the goal that decided the match and kept the home side's play-off hopes alive while ending United's.
Both sides started brightly but it was the former Aston Villa and Wolves man who pounced in the 13th minute. Scott Barrett parried Devlin's shot and Birch followed up to force the ball home from six yards.
Wanless was outstanding on his comeback and Trevor Benjamin caused several flutters in the Grecians' defence but United could not get back on level terms. In a controversial second half Cambridge-born Steve Flack earned referee Crick's displeasure for dissent in the 54th minute, and as he had already been booked in the first half he took the long walk. United threw everything at them, including John Taylor who changed the course of the game on Saturday when he again replaced 'Billy' Beall, but the crossbar, a goal line clearance and excellent goalkeeping by Ashley Bayes denied the U's.
At the final whistle most people in the ground were surprised that Birch's early goal had been enough to take the points for City, a win that leaves them six points off the play-off places but effectively ends United's faint hopes as well as an eight match unbeaten run.
Many thanks to Julie for her report.
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