Frankie Phillips made two saves from the spot to secure an additional point for Exeter City as they drew to Oxford United in the Jersey Mike's Trophy.
An early goal from Taylor Perry to put the Grecians ahead was cancelled out by Harrison Bradney, however City found themselves ahead 90 seconds later with a wonder strike from Josh Gordon. Despite the visitors levelling in the second half, two penalty saves from Frankie Phillips in the shootout were enough to secure an additional point in the group phase of the Jersey Mike's Trophy.
With Ethan Sutherland serving a three game ban following his dismissal two weeks prior against Cheltenham Town, Matt Taylor named an altered team for the final group game of the Jersey Mike's Trophy. With qualification not yet secured, prominent named such as Captain Jack Fitzwater named in the starting lineup. While initially named as a starter, Sonny Cox was changed for Josh Gordon following the warmup.
First Half
An Oxford United team that had kicked a ball in anger since the middle of September didn’t take long to get going at St James Park. Not four minutes in, and Aidan Elliott-Wheeler and Luka Lynch worked together down the right side to flash a brace of crosses into the penalty area, though the visitors were unable to capitalise and City cleared.
Despite the promising early signs from the Yellows, it would be the Grecians who were first to draw blood. Liam Oakes made a run down the right wing and crossed tidily to Taylor Perry waiting inside the penalty area, where City’s no.8 calmly slotted the ball into the bottom left to open scoring.
A quarter of an hour later, the Grecians tested Jamie Cumming once more. Charlie Cummins made a smart run from the midfield into the Oxford penalty area before twisting and turning into a shooting position, however his effort on goal was saved at the near post allowing the visitors to gather themselves and prevent the game from escaping them.
The U's responded to Cummins' chance incredibly well and soon the play was focused at the other end of the field with pressure on the City goal. A cross from the right hand side of the pitch fell to Harrison Bradney deep inside the penalty area whose fortunate touch looped the ball upwards, wrong-footing Frankie Phillips and levelling the affair.
With the game level once more, academy graduate George Birch was working almost immediately to try and find a breakthrough to reestablish the Grecian advantage. After marking his full league debut on Saturday, the young attacker darted to the edge of the Oxford penalty are and crossed to the far post, though nobody arrived on time to poke the ball home and the game remained level.
Nonetheless, the Grecian faithful inside SJP wouldn't need to wait long for the lead to be regained and 90 seconds after conceding the equaliser, Josh Gordon found space on the edge of the box. City's summer signing opted to go alone, and produced a powerful shot that rifled past Cumming and into the roof of the net to put his side ahead yet again.
Jack Fitzwater looked to carry the momentum from that goal soon afterwards, as the City skipper rose high to meet a lofted ball inside the penalty area. Despite the defender's fruitful beginning to the season in front of goal, this chance was destined to drift inches wide of the far post much to the delight of the onlooking Oxford supporters that had made the journey to the South-West.
In the dying minutes of the first half, the visitors offered a brief threat by means of a corner however this chance likewise went begging. Bradney, whose previous strike had levelled the affair, met a half cleared ball from the set piece at the near post and shot with his first touch, however this attempt rose high and into the midst of the Thatchers Big Bank. This attempt proved to be the final chance of the half, with referee James Durkin blowing up for the break soon afterwards.
Second Half
The second half of affairs got off to a much slower start than the thrilling opening phases of the first 45 and forced Ramsey into a triple change as he searched for a route back. One of these substitutions saw Tyler Goodrham replace Cameron Brannagan and immediately set to on the right-hand side of the pitch where the Oxford no.11 delivered a lofted pass to Gatlin O'Donkor inside the penalty area, though a poor first touch enabled Phillips to leap onto the ball.
The U's kept the pressure on with the half ticking away, and Elliott-Wheeler delivered another cross to O'Donkor who this time occupied a more promising area of the penalty area, however the Oxford attacker misread the pass and saw the ball skim past his outstretched boot and away from danger.
These chances would go on to set the tone for foreseeable future, with the visitors throwing everything they had at the City team who were appearing much more uncomfortable on the ball than in earlier moments of the game. The Grecians made a trio of changes with little over a quarter of an hour left, with Saturday's goalscorer Anthony Scully introduced alongside first-team debutants Dan Watts and Ben Lang.
The relentless attacking from the Yellow's didn't stop however, and the constant barrage on the City defence would finally tell with in the 78th minute. Luca Woodhouse was beaten to the ball on the left hand side, allowing Goodrham to slide a ball deep for O'Donkor, though Fitzwater was first to the cross and unfortunately flicked it into his own net.
The final ten minutes of the 90 kept this trend up, with the Grecians having to work for every ball to keep any hope of gaining a point from the affair. With four minutes added, Durkin's full-time whistle came seconds after a body-on-the-line clearance kept the score level long enough to secure a penalty shootout to decide the additional point, where Phillips made two fine stops to see City through 4-3 victors.
Up Next
Exeter City are on the road on Saturday afternoon as they travel to Croud Meadow to face Shrewsbury Town in a return to Sky Bet League Two action. For ticket information, click on the image below.
Match Details
Exeter City Starting XI
Phillips (GK), Samuel (Taylor 66'), Woodhouse, Fitzwater ©, Perry (Scully 62'), Kite (Watts 72'), Cummins, Oakes, Gordon (Lang 72'), Birch (Alsop 72'), Cayless
Exeter City Unused Subs
Bycroft (GK)
Exeter City Goalscorers
Perry (7'), Gordon (31')
Exeter City Yellow Cards
Oakes (13'), Kite (50'), Alsop (90+2')
Oxford United Starting XI
Cumming (GK), Long, Brannagan (C) (Goodrham 59'), O'Donkor, Lynch (Kioso 58'), Dembele, Golding, Currie (Leigh 59'), Sibley, Elliott-Wheeler (Snowdon 71'), Bradney
Oxford United Unused Subs
Marriott (GK), Griffiths, Missanga
Oxford United Goalscorers
Bradney (29'), Fitzwater (OG 78')
Oxford United Yellow Cards
Golding (28')
Match Officials
Ref: James Durkin, AR1: Jack Clench, AR2: Joe Wright, 4th: James Hooper
Attendance
1,469 (including 196 away supporters)