Under 9's Swindon Town 6-1 Exeter City
The young Exeter side that travelled to Swindon included two under 8s. Swindon were a very physically strong side with some good strong players. Despite this Exeter played some great passing football out from the back and passed and move fairly well.
Oakley Bennett worked extremely hard when in midfield and defence as did Alex Moyse who played upfront and scored City's only goal of the match. Mike Lilley influenced the game by getting on the ball often and by making some good passes. Both the under 8s players, Cory Rogers and Joe Wragg, did well and showed some neat touches. Lots of positives from the game and lots still to work on.
Co-operative men of the match: Mike Lilley & Alex Moyse.
Under 10's Exeter City 5-5 Swindon Town
A refreshed City side started their year in the same way as they finished 2011, with a high quality possession based style of play and high pressure defence. This positive approach meant Exeter controlled the game and took the lead early in the second period when Louis Morison finished a good team move with aplomb. The lead was doubled soon after with a fine solo goal by Lewis Wilson. A hard working Swindon side got themselves back in the fixture with a good team goal.
The third goal came when Jay Stansfield nicked the ball off the Swindon centre back and beat the keeper to make it 3-1 City at the end of the third period. The fourth saw a Swindon fight back and they were soon 5-3 up.
But strong character from the Exeter side saw Wilson and then a fine solo goal by Jack Magarotto pull the Grecians level.
Co-Operative Men of the Match: Jack Veale & Jack Magarotto
Under 11's Swindon Town 5-6 Exeter City
Exeter started the game extremely poorly and were completely off the pace for the first 20 minutes. Swindon scored three times without reply and deservedly went in to the first break 3-0 up. With an improved work ethic and competitiveness in the second period, Exeter started to dominate and scored two very good goals.
Jack Sparkes netted the first with a delicate lobbed finish after a pass from Will Dean before Morgan Cullen fired home from the edge of the area after running on to another Dean through ball. City continued to boss the game and were unfortunate to be caught on the counter attack twice to make the score 5-2. Credit to the City boys as they didn't let the score affect their play and their high-tempo passing game continued to give them the majority of possession. Bailey Walker netted City's third when he was quickest to react in the box after James Doble's shot was saved.
Sparkes scored his second of the game with a fine strike into the bottom corner and 2 minutes later City equalised when Joe Belsten laid the ball to Dean who hit a rocket into the top corner of the net. With time running out in the final period, Matt Salter intercepted a Swindon pass before cutting the ball back across the box for Morgan Cullen to calmly score the winner.
Co-Operative Man Of the Match: Joe Belsten
Under 12's Exeter City 1-3 Swindon Town
Swindon were slightly more match sharp than Exeter to begin with but the Grecians did find their feet in the second period. By then they were already two goals down. Ollie Jarrett scored the goal in the fourth period to give Exeter hope. Kite was very close to the equaliser with a stinging shot from outside the box and Ollie Jarrett was unlucky to hit the bar with the follow up.
Co-Operative Man of the Match: Harry Kite
Under 13'sSwindon Town 9-0 Exeter City
Exeter's impressive passing performance was not reflected in the scoreline against a strong Swindon side.
City played much the better football during the first period and could have opened the scoring through Rudi Small after some impressive work from Jacob Rowe and Cameron Hargreaves.
Swindon started to come into the game and opened the scoring from a set piece. Swindon continued to play to their strengths with balls in behind the Exeter defence and a quick striker running on, to punish any slack Exeter defending.
Co-Operative Man of the match: Alex Hartridge
Under 14's Exeter City 5-5 Swindon Town
Swindon looked the sharper side with early pressure all over the field. Exeter struggled to deal with the pace of the game and their passing game looked very rusty. Within ten minutes the lads found themselves two goals down.
A change in the pace with quick forward play saw early chances from the lads and they were rewarded with an excellent finish from Mustafa Rehemi.
Within minutes Rehemi grabbed his second to level the score at 2-2. Exeter then took a corner and the ball went in off a Swindon player to make it 3-2.
In the third period the Robins looked to re-apply their early pressure, and scored from a clever front post header.
Halfway through the end-to-end period a neat passing move down the left released Ollie Jay who slid the ball past the advancing keeper and into the corner of the net for Exeter' s fourth. Then a second direct free kick from Swindon at the end of the period saw them draw level again.
The final period saw both teams continue to look for a winner which looked to have gone to Swindon after a mix up at the back saw a fifth goal conceded.But Toby Down then stepped forward and scored the free-kick to level the game again.
Co-Operative Man of the Match: Emilio Bennett
Under 16's Exeter 4-1 Swindon
The U16's produced a fine second half display to overcome a Swindon side who took a slightly fortuitous lead early in the first half with a free-kick, come cross, which looped in over the goalkeeper Kyle Moore. But that was the last time Moore would be beaten, as a first half equaliser by Matt Jay, after a flowing move involving three of four players, and three further goals from Sean Goss, Olly Watkins,and Jason Pope, all in the second half, capped a fine team performance.
It was a totally dominant second half display, and after a bit of a rusty start the players deserve a lot of credit for the way they played and their effort on the day.
Market Carpets Man of the Match: Jason Pope
