Blue Square Premier
At: Marston Road
Kick-off: 3-00 pm
Attendance: 914
Weather: mild, dry, sunny spells
Stafford Rangers suffered their worst home league defeat for ten years as good attacking play gained little reward as visitors Exeter scored five times. Two goals in four minutes midway through the first half from Wayne Carlisle (22) and Matt Taylor (25) put the visitors in the driving seat, although Kevin Street pulled one back just before the break with a fantastic strike. Further second half goals from Jamie Mackie, Taylor again and Steve Basham from the penalty spot completed the scoring. Skipper Wayne Daniel was sent off in injury time for deliberate handball though the red card seemed harsh.
Phil Robinson made four changes to the starting line-up. Scott Loach returned in goal for a second spell on loan from Watford and Chris Humphrey, signed on loan from Shrewsbury Town, made his debut. Nathan Smith started a league game for the first time since recovering from his long lay off and Fred Murray came back into the side after missing four league and cup games. Exeter boss Paul Tisdale made one chance with Andy Marriott replacing Paul Jones in goal.
Stafford made a lively start to the game. Exeter skipper Matt Gill was booked in the 6th minute for handling a cross from Chris Humphrey. Samy Mawene delievered the free-kick into the area and Andy Marriott punched the ball clear. Nathan Smith, on the left, cross back into the danger zone where Neil Grayson got in a close range shot which Marriott blocked with his legs at the expense of a corner.
The visitors, attacking the Social Club End, got forward. Jamie Mackie fed Dean Moxey who hit a low diagonal cros-shot into the area which Wayne Daniel booted out. Scott Loach also got down to hold a low 20-yard drive from Mackie. Mackie broke down the right and found Moxey who saw a well-struck shot take a deflection. George Friend lifted a shot over the bar from the edge of the area.
Exeter took the lead in the 22nd minute. Mackie broke down the left and got past Djimi Sangare before driving a low shot across the face of goal. The diving Loach got his hand to the shot but the ball fell into the path of Wayne Carlisle who slotted home.
Worse was to follow four minutes later. Moxey delivered a corner from the right which Matt Taylor glanced into the far left side of the net.
Stafford pressed forward, producing some exciting attacking football. Smith got into the area down the left and pulled the ball back for Mawene who fired wide of the target from around the 'D'. Smith broke down the right in the next attack and lashed a shot wide of the near post. In the 39th minute, Grayson, who celebrated his 43rd birthday on Thursday, intercepted a pass from Moxey in the middle of the Exeter half. The veteran unleased a ferocious left-foot drive which flashed past the left-hand upright with Marriott diving a full stretch. A minute later, Grayson sent a looping header over the bar.
Exeter had a couple of chances. Carlisle fired over after a move down the left involving Mackie and Steve Basham. Taylor saw a header hooked clear.
With the interval approaching, Smith intercepted a backpass from Friend and got clear. He tried to steer the ball past the advancong Marriott who got down to push the ball clear.
But that chance didn't matter as Kevin Street halved the deficit in the 45th minute. The midfielder followed up his goal on Tuesday at Cambridge by hammering the ball past Marriott from fully 30 yards out.
The Marston Road floodlights were switched on the the interval and Rangers looked to light up the second half. Mawene fired over from 25 yards. In the 53rd minute, Luke Potter sent a throughball to Grayson inside the area. He laid a pass to Chris Flynn who hit a low drive which Marriott gathered up. Mackie gave the ballboys some fetching to do with a 20 yard volley which not only cleared the bar but also the Shed End stand as well.
The assistant on the stand side of the ground attrached the referee's attention in the 57th minute. There were puzzled looks as to what he had spotted but he turned out to be injured and swaped roles with the Fourth Official.
With Stafford in contention, Exeter took full advantage of another defensive error to restore their two-goal lead in the 60th minute. Sangare couldn't get the ball clear just outside the Boro area and Mackie slotted past Loach.
Stafford kept looking for a goal with David McNiven on as a replacement for Flynn. Street crossed from the left to the far post where Humphrey got forward to head wide. McNiven set up Mawene who hit a well-struck drive that did't miss the left-hand post by much.
Friend got forward for the visitors from the left and got in a shot as Sangare challenged. Loach saved.
Rangers made a second change in the 76th minute with Ross Draper replacing Mawene.
Loach pulled off a fine save with his legs after Basham stayed onside and hit a low shot. The keeper also did the same in the 81st minute from Basham who got on the end of Jon Richardson's low cross.
Taylor almost scored an own goal when he sliced an attempted clearance of Potter's cross over his own bar.
However, Exeter scored a fourth goal in the 87th minute. Moxey delivered a free-kick into the area and Taylor's looping header cleared Loach and dropped underneath the bar.
Tom Youngs replaced Nathan Smith before Rangers forced two corners in quick succession.
The Fourth Official indicated six minutes of added time, some for the delay when he himself limped off!
There was time for perhaps the only moment of real controvercy of the whole game. Carlisle sent a free-kick from the right into the area towards the far post which struck the hand of skipper Wayne Daniel. The referee went to his pocket and amazingly brandished a straight red card for denying a goalscoring opportunity - strange as the view from the stand gave no indication that Carlisle's cross was going in. The match DVD may provide the answer. Basham stepped up to drive a 90th minute penalty straight down the middle into the net.
Exeter made a couple of late substitutions with Steve Tully and Richard Logan coming on for a few minutes of action.
Stafford Rangers (black and white stripes/black/black): 12. Scott Loach; 25. Fred Murray 5. Wayne Daniel (capt), 6. Djoumin Sangare, 32. Luke Potter; 34. Chris Humphrey, 7. Chris Flynn, 8. Kevin Street, 22. Samy Mawene, 15. Nathan Smith, 9. Neil Grayson. Subs: 10. David McNiven (for Flynn, 62), 17. Ross Draper (for Mawene, 76), 31. Tom Youngs (for Smith, 89), 1. Danny Alcock, 16. Tom Ingram.
Exeter City (blue/blue/blue) 1. Andy Marriott; 19. Jon Richardson, 16. Matt Taylor, 15. Rob Edwards, 3. George Friend; 10. Wayne Carlisle, 14. Berti Cozic, 4. Matt Gill (capt) (Tully 90), 21. Dean Moxey; 8. Jamie Mackie, 12. Steve Basham (Logan 90). Subs: 2. Steve Tully (for Gill, 90), 20. Richard Logan (for Basham, 90), 9. Adam Stansfield, 11. Lee Elam, 27. Paul Jones (gk).
Referee: S.P. Cummins (Cheshire).
Attendance: 914 (including 272 away fans).
Sponsors Man of the match: Neil Grayson.
The original match report was written for the now defunct official website
