City out of St. Luke's Cup
Line-UpsExeter City: Pym, McCready, Tillson, Down, Richards, Nicholls (Smallcombe 87'), Oyeleke, Rogers, Grant, Reid (Rosenwald 83'), Morrison.
Subs: Keadell, Seymour, Grimes.
Goals:
Plymouth Argyle: Dorel, Threlkeld, Purrington, Calver, Mellor, Bentley, Rooney, Simpson (Palfrey 46'), Vincent (Fletcher 81'), Boateng (Roberts 71'), Hall.
Subs: Harvey, Knowles.
Goals: Palfrey 77'
Referee: Mr. B. Huxtable
Report
EXETER CITY bowed out of the St. Luke's Cup after Billy Palfrey's goal earned Plymouth Argyle a 1-0 semi-final victory at St James Park.
Both sides blended youth with experience in their starting elevens for this one, with the Grecians including the likes of Clinton Morrison, Jordan Tillson, Tom McCready and Manny Oyeleke from the start. Two of those men, Tom McCready and Manny Oyeleke, both of whom have not seen much first-team action of late, looked bright at the start of this one, with McCready eager to bomb forward along the right side and Oyeleke looking to take the game by the scruff of the neck through the middle.
For all of City's possession, however, they didn't manage an attempt on goal in the first half. The build-up play was there; Clinton Morrison contributed a number of neat flick-ons from his centre-forward role, but the likes of Alex Nicholls and Jamie Reid were unable to take advantage. The best chance of the opening period would fall to Hiram Boateng; after McCready's clearance had fallen at his feet, Boateng fired narrowly over. Despite some dangerous looking crosses from McCready and Reid, the sides went in level at the break, though would take with them a yellow card apiece; McCready and Jack Calver both entering the referee's notebook for individual fouls.
HALF-TIME: EXETER CITY 0-0 PLYMOUTH ARGYLE
It was the visitors who made the quickest start to the second period, and twice Josh Simpson was provided with opportunities to hand his side the lead. Neither were successful, however - the first, from Callum Hall's cross, went wide, while the second went tamely into the hands of Christy Pym. Down the other end City had two chances of their own - Clinton Morrison's header from Tom McCready's corner was always going off-target, but Jamie Reid's header a few moments later looped onto the roof of the net.
The shots on target continued after being largely absent in the first half - Pym had no trouble stopping Hiram Boateng's low effort, while there was a nervy moment as the City keeper came to catch a corner, missing the first two attempts but gathering at the third. But Pym was not as fortunate when Plymouth sub Billy Palfrey took aim in the seventy-seventh minute, as his twenty-five yard strike stung his fingertips on its way into the net.
City only had the one real chance to drag it back - that came when Oyeleke fed Clinton Morrison with the through ball, the striker cutting it back but nobody arriving to finish. Plymouth will progress to meet Witheridge in the final at Newton Abbot.
FULL-TIME: EXETER CITY 0-1 PLYMOUTH ARGYLE
Attendance: 311 (30 away)
Man of the Match: Steve Rogers