Exeter City 2 Stevenage 0 - Grecians stroll to comfortable victory

Exeter City returned to winning ways and leapt back into the top half of the League One table after a comfortable cruise over Stevenage. Early goals in either half were enough for the Grecians to stroll in the sunshine to a 2-0 win.

Ed Francis continued his hot streak in front of goal for the Grecians when he hooked home a strike from a corner in the eighth minute to put City ahead. Exeter had chances to extend the lead having controlled the half, but went in just 1-0 up.

Kamari Doyle doubled the lead though early in the second half when he rifled home from close range. The Grecians had chances to make the scoreline more emphatic, but settled for just the two against woeful opposition who offered next to nothing all afternoon. City rose to eighth in the table – at least for two hours.

READ MORE:Exeter City get the reaction they wanted as they cruise to victory

READ MORE:Exeter City manager Gary Caldwell accuses Sky Sports and EFL of not caring about fans

Exeter City manager Gary Caldwell made just one change from the side who were beaten 2-1 at Blackpool last Saturday. Francis came into the starting line-up, with Millenic Alli dropping to the bench. Also on the bench was new signing Mustapha Carayol, who signed on Friday. There was no Reece Cole in the squad with the midfielder not fully fit.

The visitors had the first chance when Charlie Goode rose highest from a free-kick, but nodded the header over the crossbar. Jamie Reid then headed a second chance wide as City were slow to get going. But they fashioned a chance from a well worked corner as Doyle found Francis, he flicked it round the corner to Pierce Sweeney, but the skipper’s shot was blocked wide.

And in the eighth minute, City’s pressure from a flurry of corners paid off as they took the lead. Doyle whipped in a corner with pace, Josh Magennis won the header and nodded it down, and from two yards out, Francis hooked the ball over his head and into the net. It was a third goal in three games for the midfielder who is on a hot streak.

Exeter though were not dealing with corners at the other end, as firstly Goode was left unmarked again, but headed over. Then a long throw found Elliot List unmarked, but his shot was blocked wide. The Grecians though were starting to take control and fashion chances, with Francis seeing an effort well blocked, before Sweeney’s follow-up was saved by Murphy Cooper.

They had a better chance on the half-hour. Ilmari Niskanen drove forward down the right hand side. He found Doyle, who played a lovely reverse ball to Josh Magennis. The striker had time to pick his spot from ten yards out, but he dragged the effort just wide of the far post. Jack McMillan then put a good chance wide in stoppage-time, but Exeter fully deserved their 1-0 lead at the break.

Neither manager made a change at half-time, but within five minutes, and with their first foray forward, City doubled the lead. Niskanen broke down the right after a sweeping move, the Finn cut the ball back from the byline to Doyle, who took a touch, and then lashed the finish from eight yards out into the roof of the net. It was a stunning finish from a player who had been running the show.

Caldwell’s men were on top and looking for a third. Magennis and Jack Aitchison broke trying to get that third, but the Scot’s cross just flashed across the face of goal. Alli then replaced Doyle as City's first change, while Alex Revell made a quadruple change.

Alli with his first involvement went from the sublime to the ridiculous. The Irishman did brilliantly to beat three men to dance into the box. He could pick out three men, but instead went for goal - and sliced it 20 yards wide and onto the railway line. At the other end, one of Boro’s subs in Tyreece Simpson saw a shot seemingly blocked by Ryan Woods’ hand in the box – but thankfully for City, Neil Hair had blown for an offside earlier in the move.

Carayol replaced an injured McMillan, while Sonny Cox came on for Magennis. Alli then saw a header loop onto the roof of the net as City looked and pushed for a third. Francis twice saw free-kicks deflected wide, while it took until the 89^th minute for Stevenage to have a shot on target, when Luther James-Wilden snuck in around the back from a free-kick, but tamely volleyed into Joe Whitworth’s arms. It was one of those afternoons as City eased to victory.

Exeter City are back in action on Tuesday night when they host Tottenham Hotspur U21s in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy. They then travel to Wigan Athletic in League One next Saturday.

Exeter City: (3-4-3) Joe Whitworth, Pierce Sweeney, Tristan Crama, Johnly Yfeko, Jack McMillan (Mustapha Carayol, 75), Ryan Woods, Kamari Doyle (Millenic Alli, 65), Ed Francis, Ilmari Niskanen, Jack Aitchison (Ben Purrington, 90) Josh Magennis (Sonny Cox, 75)

Subs: Shaun MacDonald, Jack Fitzwater, Amani Richards,

Booking: Crama