Match preview: City v Coventry

All you need to know about the Grecians match against the Sky Blues on Saturday

12 January 2018

Exeter City will be looking for their 10th home win of the League Two season when they take on Coventry City at St James Park on Saturday.

The Grecians go into the match eighth in the table, but are only two points behind third-placed Coventry having played a game less. Manager Paul Tisdale is well aware of the importance of the game as he expects Mark Robins side to be a strong challenger for promotion with them this season.

“We have had a good chance to look at them now over the first half of the season and they are a contender for promotion,” he said.

“They are defensively very, very good. They are very well organised, they have got a good structure and they have got some good players.

“It is a nice template for a good team and I think that they will be, no doubt, a contender, if not for the play-offs then the automatics as well. It will be a tough test for us.”

Meanwhile Robins is looking forward to meeting up with City boss Paul Tisdale having admired the work he and Steve Perryman have done.

“I know Paul Tisdale well,” he said. “We played together in Greece and he has done remarkably well at Exeter.

“Exeter turn over plenty of players, but they bring good ones in and give a lot of the younger players opportunities before turning out to do really well in their careers.

“Along with Steve Perryman, they do really well.”

TICKETS

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

Tickets should still be available to purchase for the Thatchers Big Bank on the day, but the club is advising supporters to buy tickets in advance, at a discounted rate, to avoid disappointment. You can do this by clicking on the following link and then collect your ticket from the ticket booth in Red Square on matchday.

Exeter City will also like to remind any visiting supporters that it is an offence to knowingly purchase tickets in the home section of the crowd. The club have the necessary checks in place to ensure that this does not happen. Any individual who has entered any part of the ground designated for the use of any group of supporters to which he or she does not belong may be ejected from the ground either for the purposes of his or her own safety or for any other reason.

TRAIN SERVICES TO ST JAMES PARK DISRUPTED

The normal service of First Great Western trains to St James Park is disrupted. Please click on the following link to find out all the information.

GROUND INFO

The away terrace and the Stagecoach Family Stand will not be open to supporters for Saturday’s game due to redevelopment work at the club. All entry for home fans will be via the Stadium Way turnstiles into the IP Office Stand and the Thatchers Big Bank. There will be no entry possible from the Jungle Path/Well Street side of the ground.

For more information read the following article.

MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

Troy Archibald-Henville is the feature interview in Saturday’s matchday programme as he discusses his aims for the season, dealing with injury and his ambitions to go into coaching once he retires.

Keith Harvey takes on the Legends first, best and worst quiz, while there is the latest news from the academy and ladies team and all the usual features.

FAMILY ZONE

The new Junior Grecians family zone will be open to its members from 12.30pm on Saturday and then to the general public 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.

FACEPAINTERS AND MAGIC

Magician Lez the Fez and facepainters will be at the ground on Saturday in the lead up to the match. You can find out more information about their visit by clicking here.

MASCOTS

City have 10 mascots for today’s game against Coventry City. They are as follows: William Manning, Ethan Duff, Ashton Cook, Rosie Tisdale, Archie Morgan, Sofie In Der Reiden, Noah Pemberton, George Pemberton, Lewis Alexander and Quinn George Elliott.

You can read all their profiles in 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 will be open from 11am to 5pm on matchdays and will be selling our new Flybe-inspired third kit. The club shop is located in Red Square, at the back of the IP Office Stand.

Match Reports

City 1 Coventry City 0

Ryan Harley's goal wins it for City

13 January 2018

Exeter City recorded a hard-earned three points against Coventry City with a 1-0 win at St James Park.

Ryan Harley's early strike was enough to win it for the home side who defended well to keep out a dangerous Coventry attack.

Match report sponosred by Speedy Freight

Paul Tisdale made two changes to the side that were beaten in the FA Cup by West Bromwich Albion last weekend, as Lee Holmes and Lloyd James came into the City starting XI.

It was the perfect start for the Grecians when they went ahead in the eighth minute with their first attempt at goal.

After a ball through the middle from James caused havoc in the Coventry defence, Lee Burge came out to clear but could only find Harley on the edge of the box. The midfielder then kept his composure excellently to loft the ball into the net to give the home side the advantage.

In a thrilling opening 15 minutes Coventry went close to levelling after a scramble in the Grecians’ area. After Jack Grimmer kept a corner alive he delivered the ball back in towards Marc McNulty, but amongst a crowd of bodies, he was unable to fashion a clear shot on goal.

Moments later Jayden Stockley was inches from scoring for City when he turned to shoot powerfully on the edge of the box, but his effort edged just wide of the top corner before Harley had another effort at goal which was blocked by the Sky Blues on the six-yard line.

In a combative first period, Christy Pym was called into action just minutes before half-time when Max Biamou was found in on goal with just the City keeper to beat. Credit to the City shot stopper, though, who did well to save from close range.

Following that chance the away side went close again through McNulty. After the Grecians were sloppy in defence, the Coventry striker went for goal on the edge of the box but could only shoot wide of Pym’s left-hand post.

But it was the home side who would have the last chance of the half when Dean Moxey’s free-kick rebounded to him before he struck a volley from distance, but Burge claimed the ball comfortably.

It was a high tempo start to the second period as well with City’s first chance coming when Jake Taylor burst into the box before his cross was turned away.

Minutes later the away side went close to levelling when they broke at speed with McNulty. The Coventry striker did well to get a shot away, but again, Pym was equal to it as he turned the ball away for a corner.

The away side continued to look for a way back into the match as they began to control possession in midfield. City had Pym to thank once again on 67 minutes when a Michael Doyle shot from the edge of the box came through a bunch of players before the City keeper did well to save down low.

The Grecians then had a very good chance to double their lead on 75 minutes through James. After good play from Lee Holmes, who poked the ball into the path of James, his effort from close range was saved low by Burge.

City had the chance to kill the game off with just five minutes to play when Harley delivered an excellent cross from the left which found substitute Hiram Boateng, who could only header straight at the Coventry keeper.

Despite their narrow advantage, City did well to frustrate their opponents with a resolute defensive display reducing Mark Robins side to half chances and attempts from distance as Tisdale's side held out for an important three points.

Exeter City: Pym, Sweeney, James, Archibald-Henville, Tillson, Harley, Holmes (Boateng, 80), Stockley, Seaborne (Woodman, 45), Moxey, Taylor

Subs not used: Jones, Simpson, McAlinden, Jay, Wilson

Booked: James

Coventry City: Burge, Grimmer, Stokes, Willis, Doyle, Biamou (Ponticelli, 69), McNulty, Davies, Maguire-Drew (Stevenson, 83), Shipley (Barrett, 78), Bayliss

Subs not used: O’Brien, McDonald, Beavon, Haynes

Booked: Stokes

Attendance: 4,219 (Inc, 339, away)

Exeter City FC

Standings

Match preview: City v Coventry

City 1 Coventry City 0