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Match Report |
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Exeter
City
Logan
(pen 36) |
1 |
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Blue
Square Premier - 20th August 2007
At St James Park - Att 4,242 |
Report
York City striker Onome
Sodje scored an 87th minute equaliser to earn the visitors
a deserved first point of the season against Exeter City at
St James Park. The hosts had earlier taken the lead through
Richard Logan's controversial 36th minute penalty.
Teenage striker Onome Sodje scored a late equaliser to shatter
Exeter City's one-hundred-percent record and secure the visitors
a well-deserved first point of the season at St James Park.
The Minstermen had appeared set for a third consecutive defeat
until the talented nineteen-year-old raced onto Martyn
Woolford's astute 87th minute pass and neatly chipped over
advancing keeper Andy Marriott.
Exeter had earlier taken the lead when striker Richard Logan
converted from a highly contentious 36th minute penalty award
- reviving memories of a similar controversial decision in the
corresponding fixture last season.
But the visitors continued to work hard for an equaliser and
were finally rewarded when Sodje netted for the second successive
game with just three minutes remaining.
York recalled right-back Darren
Craddock and fit-again central defender Danny
Parslow into a revised formation, while recent signing Joey
Hutchinson was handed a debut in midfield in the continuing
absence of Stuart
Elliott and Phil
Turnbull.
Elsewhere, Ben Purkiss
and Carl Jones were
both switched to the substitutes' bench and leading scorer Craig
Farrell was left out.
Exeter midfielder Jon Richardson had a shot deflected wide in
the fourth minute after keeper Tom
Evans had parried a short-range effort from Logan, while
left-back Mark Robinson
made a vital interception on Adam Stansfield's cross nine minutes
later.
The Minstermen went close twice within a minute midway through
the half as skipper Emmanuel
Panther completed a magnificent 60-yard break along the
right before crossing towards Woolford, whose right-footed drive
was superbly touched over the bar by Marriott.
Former Frickley Athletic winger Woolford's subsequent corner
found Richard Brodie stabbing the ball wide of the far post.
York's left-back Robinson then produced another crucial block
after the dangerous Jamie Mackie had expertly weaved through
a couple of challenges in the 31st minute.
But the hosts were ahead five minutes later when Parslow appeared
to make a well-executed sliding challenge at the expense of
corner as Stansfield threatened in the area.
The referee adjudged it differently however and awarded a penalty,
and home striker LOGAN confidently stepped
up to fire into the bottom left-hand corner.
Goalscorer Logan should have done better thirty seconds into
the second-half when directing the ball wide of the target after
being sent clear, while fellow striker Mackie had an attempt
comfortably gathered by Evans before later shooting wide of
the near post.
The visitors were continuing with their patient and neat build-up
play, and home keeper Marriott saved long distance efforts from
both Ross Greenwood
and Brodie.
York striker Sodje also sent a glancing header wide from Robinson's
cross in the 82nd minute, before keeper Marriott made a sharp
block at substitute Paul
Brayson's feet sixty seconds later. The Minstermen were
not about to be denied though, and deservedly equalised three
minutes from time when SODJE chased onto Woolford's
clever pass and withstood a late challenge before deftly lifting
the ball over Marriott and into the bottom left-hand corner.
Ref: O. Langford
The Teams
Exeter City: Andy Marriott, Steve Tully, Matt
Taylor, Rob Edwards, George Friend, Dean Moxey, Frankie Artus,
Jon Richardson, Richard Logan (Lee Elam 79), Jamie Mackie (Steve
Basham 78), Adam Stansfield
Subs (unused): Paul Jones, Bertrand Cozic, Matt Bye
Booked: none
York City: Tom Evans, Darren Craddock (Ben
Purkiss 66), Danny Parslow, David McGurk, Mark Robinson, Joey
Hutchinson (Paul Brayson 69), Ross Greenwood, Emmanuel Panther,
Onome Sodje, Richard Brodie (Chris Beardsley 79), Martyn Woolford
Subs (unused): Carl Pentney, Carl Jones
Booked: Parslow (35) |
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