Exeter City get exactly what they need from first pre-season win

Exeter City manager Gary Caldwell said the pre-season friendly run-out victory over Tiverton Town was exactly what the Grecians needed. Having fallen behind early on, goals from Caleb Watts and then a late winner ten minutes from time from Sonny Cox gave City a winning start to pre-season.

It was a competitive encounter against the Yellows but played in the right spirit as Exeter ’s men got vital minutes into their legs as after two weeks of pre-season, the first ball was kicked. Having trained on the day, it has been a gruelling programme.

But City looked strong and had more than enough chances to win by a bigger margin than they did. And having wanted the winning mentality to be instilled in the group before the game, Caldwell was delighted to have started with a win.

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“I thought it was a really good game,” Caldwell said. “The first game is always difficult and we have done a lot of training but not really football training so far, all been conditioning work, so to see the players out there, certain things weren’t as cohesive as they will be, but the fitness levels were extremely high.

“Going a goal down, I liked the reaction from everyone and we got straight back into the game and it is always nice to win and develop that winning mentality. We created good opportunities and could have scored more.

“It was a really good test, I thought Tiverton were excellent, right throughout the game they were physical and what we needed and really happy with the night. It was played in the right spirit, competitive, a real edge to the game and competing in the right way. It was a good exercise for us, we all got through it, and then it is back into work tomorrow and build towards Friday.”

The Grecians named two separate elevens who each played 45 minutes each. Shaun MacDonald started in goal, with Pierce Sweeney, Jack Fitzwater and Ed James in the back three. Jack McMillan, making a first appearance, and Mitch Beardmore as wing-backs, with Jake Richards and Watts alongside a trialist – understood to be Keenan Forson – a 22-year-old midfielder released by West Ham United, who had featured twice for the Hammers, in the middle of the pitch. Theo Cutler and Millenic Alli started up front.

Tiverton had the first real chance with seven minutes on the clock Leighton Thomas was set clean through on goal, but one-on-one with MacDonald, dragged the golden chance well wide. At the other end, Sweeney forced Joel Manning into a sprawling save.

In the 27 ^th minute though, the Yellows took the lead. Niall Thompson showed a burst of pace down the right hand side before he floated in a cross. Joe Parker rose highest at the back post and his looping header crept into the corner of the net, beating the dive of MacDonald.

City could and should levelled immediately. Firstly Alli wasted a massive opportunity when he was picked out by James on the edge of the box. He had an opening to shoot with his right, but cut onto his left, and was crowded out by the defence.

However on the half hour, the Grecians did draw level. Watts drove forward and let fly from 25 yards. The shot was powerful and went straight through Manning in the Tiverton net to make it 1-1 – but in truth, he should have saved it.

Exeter nearly went ahead immediately. Manning’s clearance was intercepted by McMillan. The Scot squared the ball looking to find Alli for a tap-in, but a Tiverton defender just managed to cut it out when the goal was empty. The Irishman then missed a sitter when he was picked out by a delightful Watts cross, but volleyed over from six yards.

As expected, Caldwell made 11 changes at the break. Harry Lee was in goal, with Liam Oakes, Will Aimson and Ben Purrington in the back three. Ilmari Niskanen and Yanic Wildschut were the wing-backs, with Charlie Cummins, Pedro Borges and Tom Dean in midfield. Cox and new signing Josh Magennis were upfront.

Magennis, Wildschut and Cox all came close for Exeter, Asa Hall headed over from close range after he was left unmarked from a free-kick for the hosts. But with ten minutes to go, City got the winner they had deserved.

A corner was whipped in from the right and Cox on the swivel fired home from close range to make it 2-1. Borges had a good chance to extend the lead late on but saw his shot blocked, before Wildschut dragged the last kick of the game wide. But City had done enough to seal a 2-1 win.

Everyone who featured came through unscathed without injury, and it is now back to training before a trip to Weston-super-Mare on Friday. City’s players will train Wednesday, a double session on Thursday, and then on Friday morning, before making the journey up the M5 to Somerset.

“We will recover and then do more tomorrow, Thursday a double day, and then train Friday morning,” Caldwell said. “So it shows how hard they are working. We hope to build fitness and some more patterns or play and principles we want to show throughout the season

“It will be two 45s again. We will look at the teams and mix up the teams to look at some more partnerships. We will look at that, train hard beforehand, and hope for a similar effort.”

The likes of Ed Francis, Jay Bird, Ryan Woods, Vincent Harper, Reece Cole and Jack Aitchison were not involved in Tuesday’s win, nor was injury absentee Cheick Diabate. Caldwell said that some of the players are on a different schedule and will be put into the action when they are ready.

“Some of them were coming in late, so they are on a different schedule to those who were back in June.” Caldwell said. “And others have had little niggles which have set them back. But everyone will train tomorrow with the group and then they will come into the games when they are ready to do so.”

First half: Shaun MacDonald, Pierce Sweeney, Jack Fitzwater, Ed James, Jack McMillan, Jake Richards, Keenan Forson, Mitch Beardmore, Theo Cutler (Santino Ohanaka, 35) Caleb Watts, Millenic Alli.

Second half: Harry Lee, Liam Oakes (Louie Cayless, 84), Will Aimson, Ben Purrington, Ilmari Niskanen, Pedro Borges, Charlie Cummins, Tom Dean, Yanic Wildschut, Sonny Cox, Josh Magennis