Exeter City Women suffered a rare home defeat as Lewes took all three points following a fast start at Coach Road on Sunday afternoon.
The visitors scored twice within the first nine minutes to establish a two goal advantage, and despite Sarah Stacey halving the deficit with an early penalty, City couldn't break down the Rooks and were beaten at home for the first time in eleven months in the league.
Abbie Britton made two changes from her opening day team who won at Cheltenham, as Emily Poole and her namesake Toogood came into the team, with the latter cleared to start after completing 45 minutes against Portishead in the League Cup.
First half
Paula Howells’ strike from distance rebounded off the face of Abbi Bond’s crossbar after only three minutes of play, the loose ball falling to Leah Lane who fired in the opener. Rebekah Trewhitt doubled the lead after more ball watching from the Grecians defence, she chased down a long clearance and slotted beyond Bond with less than ten minutes on the clock.
City responded quickly, Amber Pollock was felled in the penalty area and Sarah Stacey stepped up to halve the deficit on 13 minutes.
After such a slow start the Grecians began to find their rhythm, Sophie Gillies turned away from her marker to fire a shot goalwards, Rooks Goalkeeper Emily Moore palming the effort away. Gillies was proving a consistent threat, racing onto an Emily Toogood pass before shooting wide of Moore’s goal.
A succession of Lewes corners ended with Bond making a strong near post save, before another Gillies driving run was met with a cross too strong for Jaydee Seaman to control and strike towards goal.
It had been a competitive half with the Grecians paying the price for a slow start.
Second half
The Grecians started the second half brightly, Phoebe Baker’s driving run and cut back for Gillies was blocked before Emily Poole’s back post header was claimed by Moore.
However, after the early city momentum, the visitors gained control of the contest, managing the tempo of the game and restricting any Grecians’ opportunities to level the game. Gillies remained the most likely goal threat, Mollie Taylor’s reverse pass finding the city forward who forced the save from Moore with a low shot.
Gerogia Vaccaro, who impressed from the bench, fired a shot from distance for Moore to collect, but city never really found the impetus in the second half to force Lewes out of their defensive shape and the visitors ran down the clock to pick up three points.
Up next
Abbie Britton’s side will look to bounce book next weekend as the travel to AFC Bournemouth in league action, before they return to Coach Road on Sunday, September 7, to host Southampton PGA in the League Cup. You can get your tickets for that clash here!
Exeter City Women XI: Bond, Poole (Taylor, 61’), Seaman (Sara 61'), Jackson (C), Toogood, Pollock (Slocombe, 61’), Burridge, Baker (Sandland, 83'), Zuurmond, Stacey (Vaccaro, 76'), Gillies.
Subs Giles (GK), Ireland
Goal: Stacey 13' (pen)