Exeter City got off the mark in Sky Bet League Two with a 2-0 win over Accrington Stanley at St James Park.
Matt Taylor named a single change from the starting eleven that fell short a week prior against Grimsby Town at Blundell Park. Josh Gordon was given the nod over Andrew Oluwabori with a change of shape that looked to get the Grecians' season underway in a return to home soil.
John Doolan's Accrington Stanley side travelled to Devon a week on from a 2-2 draw against Colchester United at the Wham Stadium, likewise hoping then to get three points on the board for the first time in the 2026/27 season.
First Half
Exeter City began sharply and with less than two minutes on the clock, Vincent Harper won a throw in on the left side of the pitch to afford a set-piece opportunity early on. A long throw from Charlie Cummins was initially headed away yet fell as far as captain Jack Fitzwater who acrobatically hooked the ball over Louie Moulden in the Accrington Stanley net the opener.
Reece Cole looked to get in on the action minutes after. Urged to shoot by the onlooking Grecian faithful, the midfielder ran through a brace of Stanley defenders before letting fly and producing a shot that narrowly avoided the goal after it deflected off a visiting defender.
Ten minutes on and City went on the hunt once more as Cole opted to shoot from range, producing an effort that forced Moulden into a quick save. With the ball punched away, it fell to the feet of Gwion Edwards whose strike took a heavy deflection off Accrington captain Seamus Conneely to find the back of the net and score the Grecians’ second of the afternoon.
Edwards carried this momentum on as he was afforded another chance to test Moulden quickly after. The Welshman lined one up from distance only to see his effort deflected yet again, only this time behind for a corner. Ed James rose highest at the back post to meet the corner ball from Cole, though his effort sailed just high of the crossbar.
Cole was the talisman once again in the Grecians’ next attack, driving down the left wing before smartly pulling the ball back to Josh Gordon on the edge of the penalty area. The summer signing drilled a shot hard and low, yet ultimately saw it drift narrowly wide of the far post.
With four minutes added on at the end of the opening 45 minutes, a final opportunity for City arose with the awarding of a free kick 25-yards out. Cole naturally stood up to take the set piece, with a powerful strike goalwards that forced Moulden into a save at full reach before Scott Jackson blew his whistle to indicate the end of the first half.
Second Half
We can only assume that Accrington manager John Doolan gave his side the classic hairdryer treatment during the break, as the visitors began the second half on the front foot. A lofted cross into the box almost got the better of Jack Bycroft, who managed to get enough of a touch on the ball to force it away from goal before it was cleared up-field.
Charlie Caton applied more pressure on the City goal just shy of the hour mark as he lined up a shot from the edge of the box that deflected wide for a corner. Fortunately for Matt Taylor’s men, a follow up shot from the set piece flew well high of the crossbar and into St James Road.
Taylor made his first changed of the game just shy of the 70th minute with Sonny Cox coming on in place of Josh Gordon, and Ethan Sutherland able to make his league debut for the club in place of Vincent Harper.
Meanwhile from the opposition bench, Cole Stockton had been brought on in place of Shaun Whalley and immediately impressed. A shot from the edge of the box had Bycroft diving to his far corner, yet Edwards arrived on the scene in time to block the effort and settle the Grecians.
In a brisk counterattack, Cox skilfully broke free of the Stanley defence to send a through ball forward to Edwards who unselfishly crossed, yet nobody in red was there to meet the ball on time. Alas, the Grecians were afforded another opportunity when Luca Woodhouse nodded the ball down to Jayden Wareham who quickly shot, though Moulden reacted well and blocked.
In a frenzied period of attacks from City Edwards crossed once more, offering Wareham another chance yet this time his shot drifted agonisingly wide of the far post. The rampant efforts continued as newly introduced George Birch offered fellow substitute Taylor Perry a delightful cross, though it was one that the midfielder drilled just inches wide.
With Accrington Stanley seemingly down and out, the Grecians enjoyed the vast majority of play for the remaining few minutes before Scott Jackson blew for full time, securing Exeter City their first win of the season in their return to St James Park.
Up Next
The Grecians are back on the road on Saturday, 29th August where they travel to the LNER Community Stadium to face York City. Tickets for this game are still available, with purchasing information available below.
Match Details
Exeter City Starting XI
Bycroft (GK), Edwards (Oluwabori 88’), James, Fitzwater ©, Woodhouse, Harper (Sutherland 69’), Doyle-Hayes (Perry 80’) , Cummins, Cole (Birch 80’), Gordon (Cox 69’), Wareham
Exeter City Unused Subs
Phillips (GK), Samuel
Exeter City Goalscorers
Fitzwater (2’), Conneely OG (13’)
Exeter City Yellow Cards
Wareham (48’), Harper (55’), Fitzwater (66’)
Accrington Stanley Starting XI
Moulden (GK), Love, Moore, Rawson, Whalley (Stockton 64’, Brown 88’), Matthews, Caton (Mols 78’), Anderson, Conneely © (Coyle 78’), O’Brien (Henderson 78’), Woods
Accrington Stanley Unused Subs
Rogerson (GK), Sass
Accrington Stanley Yellow Cards
Woods (45’), Moore (85’)
Attendance
5,939 (including 104 away supporters)