Big match preview: City v Crawley Town

All you need to

20 April 2018

Exeter City will be looking to boost their automatic promotion hopes on Saturday when they face Crawley Town at St James Park.

The Grecians sit two points behind Wycombe Wanderers in the race for the final automatic spot for promotion to League One and know a victory at St James Park, coupled with a win for league leaders Accrington Stanley at Adams Park, could see City up to third.

However, assistant manager Matt Oakley does not want any of his players to waste any of their energy worrying about what Wycombe are doing. He says their focus has to be solely on Crawley Town on Saturday and picking up a much-needed three points.

“We will focus on ourselves,” said Matt. “Wycombe have done very well this year to get themselves into that position and if we don’t win our games then it is pointless looking at what they are doing.

"Every game has got its challenges and the teams that we are going to come up against we have got to stay professional, do the right things, try and get the right performance and the result will follow that.

“We have got to try not to get carried away with looking at other teams and what is going on elsewhere. We have got 90 plus minutes to do our job and if we can do that then hopefully we can have a chance."

Meanwhile, Harry Kewell says his Crawley Town players will be motivated by trying to put a dent in City's automatic promotion places.

“Exeter are a fantastic team," he said. "(Paul) Tisdale has got them playing well. They have got a great chance of going up to the next league and it is an opportunity for us to put a dent into that. We will go out there and play our same way. We will be aggressive, we will pass, we will try and create our chances and we will see where it takes us. We know it will be a difficult game.”

TICKETS

The IP Office Stand is sold out for the match, meaning there is only standing tickets available in the Thatchers' Big Bank.

Tickets are available to purchase at the game, via the ticket booth in Red Square or via cash on the turnstiles. However, you can also purchase tickets in advance via the following link and pick them up at the ground via the ticket booth in Red Square.

SEASON TICKETS

Season tickets for the 2018/19 campaign are now on sale. You can find out more information about this here.

Anyone coming to the game and looking to renew or buy a season ticket can do so as normal in the club shop and from the ticket booth on Saturday.

KNOW THE SCORE

Saturday's game is our dedicated Bowel Cancer: Do You Know The Score match. April is bowel cancer awareness month and players and managers are supporting the eighth annual Know the Score campaign.

You can find out more by clicking on the following link.

FREE FACE PAINTING AND MAGIC SHOW

Young fans attending Saturday's match against Crawley Town will be treated to extra entertainment, with Magician Lez the Fez returning to perform a magic show, and FREE face painting.

The show will take place in the Junior Grecians Family Zone from 2pm to 2:30pm and all young fans are welcome to attend. To find out more click on the following article

FAMILY ZONE

The Junior Grecians family zone will be open to its members from 12.30pm on Saturday and then to the general public, including away supporters, from 1.30pm. The zone has video consoles, large TV screens, a refreshments stall and table football.

The zone is located in Red Square. For more information on it read the following article.

MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

The Grecian, our official club matchday programme, will be on sale around the ground and in the club shop and reception for just £3.

Lifelong City fan Liam Tancock is the feature interview, while there are all the usual features including an interview from Matt Oakley as he talks about the first, best and worst moments of his career.

GROUND INFO

Redevelopment Work:

The away terrace and the Stagecoach Family Stand will not be open to supporters for Saturday’s game due to the redevelopment work at the club.

All entry for home fans will be via the Stadium Way turnstiles into the IP Office Main Stand or the Thatchers' Big Bank. There will be no entry possible from the Jungle Path/Well Street side on to the Thatchers' Big Bank.

For more information read the following article.

JUNIOR GRECIANS FAMILY ZONE

The new Junior Grecians family zone will be open to its members from 12.30pm tonight and then to the general public, including away fans, from 1.30pm. The zone has video consoles, large TV screens, a refreshments stall and table football.

The zone is located in Red Square. For more information on it read the following article.

MASCOTS

Our mascots for today’s game are the following: Rosie Dennis, Frazer Saunders, Thomas Woodward, Ewan Fricker, Leo Troop, Ethan Lambourne, Jack Newcombe, Oscar Tancock and Leo Smith.

Read their profiles on page 13 of the matchday programme. If you would like to be a matchday mascot at one of our games contact our operations manager Andy Gillard via email at andy.gillard@ecfc.co.uk.

CLUB SHOP

The club shop, located in Red Square, will be open from 11am Saturday. The club shop has half-price printing on shirts as well as plenty of other goods on offer.

SJP: Somewhere Just Perfect!

Early Bird Season Tickets are now on sale and will allow you to guarantee your perfect spot in the ground. Increased attendances mean seats are at a premium, so buy or renew your season ticket early to guarantee your place at next season’s games! Click here to find out more.

Match Reports

City 2 Crawley Town 2

Grecians frustrated at St James Park

21 April 2018

Exeter City were left frustrated as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Crawley Town at St James Park.

In an entertaining match, the hosts took the lead when Enzio Boldewijn got free down the right and fired in, before Jayden Stockley levelled later in the first half.

The Grecians then went ahead in the second half when Stockley claimed his second of the game with a smart finish. But a determined Crawley side, to their credit, came back into the game and made the score 2-2 later on in the second period through Josh Yorwerth.

Despite City creating a number of chances, Glenn Morris made some vital saves as City remain fourth in Sky Bet League Two, within one point of Wycombe Wanderers in third.

The Grecians made one change from Tuesday night’s win over Chesterfield with Matt Jay introduced to the starting line-up in place of Robbie Simpson, as City looked to maintain their automatic promotion push.

City started on the front foot and created a good chance on six minutes when Jordan Storey stayed upfield from a free-kick. The youngster did well to make a nuisance of himself in the box as the ball came off him to fall into the path of Jake Taylor, but his powerful effort was well saved by Glenn Morris.

Taylor was to have another opportunity just five minutes later when good play from Lloyd James on the right saw him cross for Jay, and he played in the City number 25, to have another shot saved by Morris.

Crawley had to wait until the 24th minute for their first attempt at goal when Boldewijn was found centrally before he shot from distance as Christy Pym was forced into a routine save down low.

Lewis Young was next to try his luck from the edge of the box a few minutes later for the visitors when he ran at the City defence before shooting well wide of goal.

The away side would then take the lead on 30 minutes when a cross-field ball found Young, who played a delicate touch into the path of Boldewijn, who finished low past Pym to put the Red Devils ahead.

The Grecians then found themselves level shortly after, in somewhat debateable circumstances, when Hiram Boateng won the ball back for City and played in Lloyd James, whose shot was blocked on the line, and Stockley teed himself up to volley at goal. And despite Morris getting a strong hand to it, the ball squirmed just over the line as City drew level going into the break.

City looked much the more likely from the start of the second half and went ahead just before the hour mark when Jordan Tillson helped on a City corner into the path of Stockley, who controlled well, before rifling the ball past Morris to the put the Grecians ahead.

Mark Randall had an attempt a couple of minutes after the City goal when the ball was laid to him on the outside of the box from a corner, and the midfielder struck the ball well, but it edged just wide.

Stockley then went inches from his hat-trick when substitute, Kyle Edwards, drove City upfield and darted past two men before playing in Boateng, who crossed towards the back post, but there was too much pace on it as the City number 11 was unable to connect with the ball at the far post.

But Crawley continued to push forward, and they levelled things on 68 minutes through Yorwerth who popped up at the back post to rise above everyone and head the ball in.

An end to end affair saw the Grecians almost go back in front when Boateng kept the ball alive in the box and teed up Edwards to strike powerfully and force a fantastic save from Morris who tipped the ball over.

Stockley then rattled the crossbar on 78 minutes after more creativity from Edwards as he crossed well, and the City striker did well to find himself a yard of space before thundering against the woodwork as City pressed for that all-important winner.

City began to throw everything at Crawley, and once again they had Morris to thank, when Stockley went through and shot, but the goalkeeper did well to narrow the angle and make an important block as the ball took a deflection and went over the goal.

But it wasn't to be for a City side, who have managed late goals numerous times this season, as they took a point away from the match.

Exeter City: Pym, Sweeney, James, Tillson, Stockley, Jay (Edwards, 55), Wilson (Simpson, 87), Croll, Taylor, Storey, Boateng

Subs not used: Jones, Archibald-Henville, Harley, Brunt, Seaborne

Booked: James, Wilson

Crawley Town: Morris, Young, Connolly, Boldweijn, Yorwerth, Tajbakhsh, Bulman, Verheydt, Randall (Smith, 78), Sanoh (Doherty, 62), Camara (Roberts, 62)

Subs not used: Mersin, Payne, McNerney

Booked: Boldewijn, Young

Attendance: 3,998 (Inc, 63, away)

Exeter City FC

Standings

Big match preview: City v Crawley Town

SJP: Somewhere Just Perfect!

City 2 Crawley Town 2