This weeks match report it courtesy of Stuart James from the Western Morning News, please visit their website for City news and views: http://www.thisiswesternmorningnews.co.uk/index.jsp

EXETER City's nail-biting climax to the Blue Square Premier campaign took another upturn on Saturday as they climbed back into the play-off zone with a 2-1 victory over struggling Northwich Victoria at St James' Park.

Just days after surrendering their top-five place with a wasteful performance at Salisbury City, the Grecians were the main beneficiaries of the weekend results which saw play-off rivals Stevenage Borough, Cambridge United and Burton Albion all lose.

On Tuesday, Richard Logan was the main culprit as he spurned a gilt-edged chance to head an equaliser for City who, at the time, were well in command. He missed, Salisbury scored a second and Exeter were left to rue what might have been.

However, Tuesday's villain was Saturday's hero as his brilliant brace ensured a victory for the Grecians which was so welcome after the midweek disappointment.

Manager Paul Tisdale abandoned the 4-3-3 formation he has deployed in recent weeks and reverted back to a 4-4-2 system. In came Dean Moxey, on the left wing, out went Wayne Carlisle. Ryan Harley was preferred on the right side of midfield. Otherwise, City were unchanged and the Devon side made their intentions clear right from the off.

There were a few heated exchanges following that defeat at Salisbury at full-time, the players' frustrations at boiling point. And in the first 20 minutes against Northwich, they vented them to maximum effect as they battered the Cheshire outfit nearly into submission.

Adam Stansfield's poor control saw one effort pass by before a long Matt Gill throw was headed on by Matt Taylor and Moxey was denied by a save from visiting goalkeeper Ben Connett. The Grecians were then denied what looked like a strong claim for a penalty when Stansfield was felled by Michael Welch, but nothing was given.

With their next attack, Logan broke the deadlock - and it was some goal too. Not so much for the finish, but the lovely build up play as Exeter went from side to-side and back to front. It all culminated in a good ball down the line by Steve Tully to Stansfield and he delivered a peach of a cross to the near post where Logan was on hand to tap into the back of the net. It was simple stuff, but oh so effective.

Stansfield then headed over from a Harley corner kick before Northwich stunned St James' Park by scoring with their first attack. Rob Edwards, the midfield anchorman, was penalised for a handball 25 yards from goal and Joel Byrom let fly with a screaming free-kick that flew past Andy Marriott.

City hit back with a booming Danny Seaborne clearance falling for Logan, but as he bore down on goal, the ball took a horrible bobble and knocked him out of his stride. City continued to play some great football and the outstanding George Friend played a great one-two with Stansfield before crossing low, but Logan could not get the finishing touch.

Northwich offered little in attack and they looked most threatening whenever Exeter had a corner. They would break at pace and committed men forward; one such break saw them have an incredible seven on four, but they did not make the most of the opportunity.

Friend almost put City back in front when he got on the end of another Taylor knockdown, but his shot hit the crossbar and went behind. Logan then sent a great shot goalwards after turning well, but it deflected narrowly wide of the upright.

City continued to pour forward whenever they could and Moxey saw a volley superbly blocked. But Northwich missed a great chance to go in at the break in front when Michael Carr headed wide with the goal at his mercy.

City took a while to get going after the re-start and struggled to play the kind of football that had served them well in the first half. In fact, Northwich had a handball shout waved away and Mark Roberts headed over as they started the second half brightly and it was slightly against the run of play when Logan put City back in front on the hour mark.

Harley played a good ball into the path of Tully and he delivered a beautiful cross to the back post where Logan made good contact with his head and forced the ball home.

Northwich, needing something from the match themselves in their fight to avoid the drop, missed a great chance when Lee Steele headed over before Taylor received the most ridiculous booking of the season when he reacted to a quickly taken Northwich free-kick, hacked the ball clear and received a yellow for kicking the ball away.

Northwich gave it a go as the minutes ticked by, but they never really tested Marriott. At the other end, Harley chipped tamely into the 'keeper's arms, while City hearts were in mouths when Friend conceded a free-kick at the death which came to nothing.

With four games to go, City's fate is again in their own hands, while fans' fingernails are already chewed to the bone. This really is squeaky bum time.

EXETER City manager Paul Tisdale has warned supporters that the end of the season will not be plain sailing after his side climbed back into the play-offs zone with a 2-1 win over Northwich Victoria.

Richard Logan's brace, coupled with defeats for Burton Albion, Stevenage Borough and Cambridge United made it the perfect weekend for the Devon side, who can climb into third place with victory over visiting Aldershot tomorrow.

"Every game between now and the end of the season is going to be like that, it is going to be edgy, it is going to be nervy, you are waiting on referee's decisions when the ball goes into the penalty box," Tisdale said. "You need players to step up and I thought there were a lot of heroes today.

"Matt Gill hadn't trained for a week and has had a small injury, so he has been nursing that. Steve Tully got a nasty knock and carried on for the rest of the game. We certainly had players out there digging in and fighting through to the end.

"The centre halves were magnificent and I think all through, there were bruised bodies fighting through and they really dug in. I am delighted and very proud of them today."

Tisdale reserved special praise for the enigma that is Logan, whose brace took him up to 17 for the season.

"That's the thing with a goalscorer, he is there when you need him and he can finish the ball. At the back stick at Salisbury on Tuesday, he missed a chance and today he has stuck it in and you can only congratulate him for putting himself in those situations," Tisdale added.

"Richard was close to coming off at half-time because he was so battered and bruised, he had knocks and wasn't feeling great and at one point, we actually said to him he was coming off, but Richard said he was going to stay on. The first thing the players said when they got back into the dressing room, starting with the captain, Danny Seaborne, was 'well done Logie' because they knew he dug in for those final 45 minutes when he needed to come off at half-time, so congratulations to him, congratulations to the team. We live to fight another day with another three points behind us.

"If anybody was quick to demand more of him on Tuesday, they were certainly quick to congratulate him today so well done Richard Logan."
The Grecians made a great start to the match and played some of their best football for some time in the opening quarter. It culminated in Logan netting a superb first goal, which was cancelled out when Joe Byrom scored a brilliant free-kick soon afterwards.

"All we can do is affect our own performance and today we did that. We had a blistering first quarter and after that, we did enough to win the game. We have to come into the start of a game and bombard the opposition and off the back of that, we have to evolve and do things to win the game and today, I think we did exactly that.

"I made the point after the game on Tuesday that the players had a bit to say after the game. It was constructive to each other and the players went off to have a bit of a barmy. And what was said in that dressing room was about them demanding certain things off each other that make the difference.

"If that meant that today gave us an extra yard or an extra degree of concentration, then that 40 minutes of work after the game was worth it.

"I was sure we would start this game well today because after Tuesday, we were ready for this game. We started really well and we did not deserve to be 1-1 after 20 minutes, but we were and had another crack at them.

"We actually scored when we weren't at our best in the second half, but who cares?"

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