The Grecians were left frustrated at St James Park as, despite creating several good chances, they fell to a 1-0 defeat against Huddersfield Town.
A fantastic curling effort from Leo Castledine midway through the first half proved the only difference between the sides. City huffed and puffed, seeing an effort ruled out for offside, hitting the woodwork and forcing several good saves, but they couldn’t find the equaliser.
Gary Caldwell made two changes to his side that lost at Stevenage last Saturday. Reece Cole returned to the starting XI for the first time in over a month, while Jayden Wareham partnered Josh Magennis up front following the injury to Sonny Cox. After starting every League One game so far Ed Turns was named on the bench, as Danny Andrew slotted into the left centre-back role.
First half
After a couple of early Huddersfield efforts flashed wide of Joe Whitworth’s posts, City were first to properly test a keeper. Wareham won the ball back from a loose header midway inside the opposition half and drove forward, before squaring the ball for Ilmari Niskanen on the edge of the penalty area. After cutting in onto his right foot the Finn shot, but his low effort was held.
On ten minutes, City should really have been in front. A superb ball into the box from Ethan Brierley picked out Magennis on the penalty spot with just the keeper to beat. He tried to poke it past the onrushing Nicholls, but the effort trickled agonisingly wide.
The visitors grew into the game, and after Marcus Harness fired well over, a moment of brilliance opened the scoring. Cutting in from the left, Leo Castledine bent a curling strike into the top corner from the edge of the box, nestling out of Whitworth’s reach for 1-0.
That goal filled Town with confidence, and City had to be wary of a quickfire double. Alfie May blazed over from close range before a deflected David Kasumu strike from distance was held by Whitworth.
After steadying themselves, the Grecians almost found themselves two down when Lasse Sorensen flew down the right. Escaping the attention of Andrew, the full-back drilled across goal but fired just wide.
While it was all Huddersfield as half-time approached, City were unlucky not to level before the whistle. A Cole free-kick to the back post was headed against the bar by Sweeney, with Fitzwater following in to nod home - only to see his goal ruled offside for the second successive home game.
Second half
Huddersfield threatened seconds after the restart when a cross-cum-shot clipped the woodwork, before Cole struck over from distance.
But City soon got on the front foot. A deep free-kick from Andrew caused havoc in the box, with both Brierley and Cole seeing efforts blocked before Nicholls produced a superb save to deny the latter.
That early scare though didn’t dictate the beginning of the second 45, as City dominated possession and chances. A deep free-kick from Andrew caused carnage as both Ethan Brierley and Cole had shots blocked, before the Town keeper made a fantastic save from the latter.
A fantastic cross-field ball from Brierley was headed down by McMillan and Cole struck on the half-volley, but it was blocked away. Immediately Huddersfield countered and looked to have broken into City’s box four on two, but a last-ditch slide from Andrew put the ball out, keeping the score at 1-0.
The game swung from end to end. After Wareham saw a Cole corner blocked in the area, Huddersfield countered and Wiles curled just wide. The midfielder remained a constant threat, heading narrowly past the post in the 65th minute when found unmarked at the back stick.
With 15 minutes remaining the game stretched even further. After sustained City pressure without a clear-cut chance, Town went down the other end and clipped the bar from the edge of the box.
As time ticked away, Caldwell made a quadruple substitution. But it was a Huddersfield sub who next went close - Joe Taylor dispossessed Ed Francis and raced clear, only to drag his shot wide.
The changes did lift City, especially Akeel Higgins on his SJP debut down the left. Released by Brierley into space, he looked to have been pulled down by a Town defender, but the referee waved play on.
The Grecians continued to press in the dying minutes. Turns headed against the bar before being penalised for a foul, while Wilson nodded over from a corner. In a frantic finale, though, it was Huddersfield who held firm to leave St James Park with all three points.
Next up
The Grecians travel to Lincoln City next week before returning to SJP two weeks today to face Reading. Back the Grecians and get your tickets for both matches by clicking here!
Exeter City XI: Whitworth, McMillan, Sweeney (C) (Turns, 81'), Fitzwater, Andrew (Higgins, 81'), Niskanen, Brierley, Doyle-Hayes (Francis, 81'), Cole (Yfeko, 70'), Wareham, Magennis (Wilson, 81').
Subs not used: Bycroft (GK), Oakes.
Yellow cards: Cole 16', Niskanen 39', Fitzwater 72'
Huddersfield Town XI: Nicholls, Roosken, Low, Feeney, Sorensen, Kasumu, Ledson (C) (Vost, 89'), Castledine (Taylor, 82'), Wiles (Gooch, 89'), Harness (Ashia, 74'), May.
Subs not used: Goodman (GK), Wallace, Roughan.
Goal: Castledine 28'
Yellow card: Harness 53'
Attendance: 6477 (545 away)