📝 Match Preview: Cheltenham Town (A)

The details ahead of City's clash with Cheltenham.

4 April 2019

Exeter City will be looking to bounce back from defeat when they travel to Cheltenham Town in Sky Bet League Two.

City fell to a 4-1 loss at home to Mansfield Town last time out, but manager Matt Taylor says his side are determined to put things right.

The City boss said: “The lads are hungry to get back on the pitch and show that they’re better players than they showed last weekend. The lads didn’t need picking up on Monday morning, they came in with the right attitude which is what you want as a manager.

“They want to put it right, they know they weren’t good enough last weekend, and we’re bitterly disappointed with the result, but hopefully it was just a blip after two good performances. We’re looking forward to the game this weekend.”

LAST TIME WE MET

The side last met back in September when the Grecians recorded a 3-1 win at St James Park as they came from behind with goals from Pierce Sweeney, Jayden Stockley and Jonathan Forte- who netted the 1000th Exeter City league goal under Trust ownership.

TICKETS

Exeter City have sold out of their advance allocation therefore tickets are only available on the day. Tickets can be purchased on the turnstiles at Cheltenham and you can only pay by cash. Tickets are unallocated and there is expected to be 300 tickets available on the day.

GRECIAN TRAVEL

  Grecian Travel for the match has been taken off sale online. However, if you contact the club shop in person or by telephone you are still able to book your place.

For more information or to book please contact Chris Woolcott on 01392 250250. Alternatively, drop into reception at St James Park.

Pick-up Points include: Unit 1 nightclub (Summerland Street), Honiton Road Park & Ride (by Miller and Carter steakhouse), Cullompton Services (junction 28), Tiverton (junction 27), Taunton (junction 25), any other pick-ups en-route by prior arrangement.

BY ROAD

One of City’s shorter away matches of the season, from Exeter you need to travel up the M5 past Bristol and into Gloucestershire. Take the exit for the A40 at Cheltenham before following that road into the city. The A40 will bring you to a roundabout in Cheltenham where you need to go straight over following the A4015. This leads you onto a left turn when you need to join the A46. Follow this round for a short period before turning right onto Clarence Road where you will then join the B4632 which takes you up towards the stadium which will be on your right. According to Cheltenham’s official website, car parking is limited at the Jonny-Rocks Stadium, but you can pre-book a car park space on a match day by contacting the ticket office on 01242 573558 (selecting option 1). Match day parking does cost £5 per vehicle. Street parking in the immediate vicinity is also restricted. There is also another car park which is located at the back of the Colin Farmer Stand. This car park it located in the Parklands Community Centre and is also available on a first come, first served basis on a matchday.

BY RAIL

There are direct trains to Cheltenham from Exeter St David’s station, and they are reasonably frequent on the day of the match. The 10:24 train will get you into Cheltenham Spa station for 12:09, otherwise the 10:49 will get you there for 12:39. The 11:23 will also get you there in good time for 13:09. On your return to Exeter you can catch the 17:25 train which gets you back for 19:35 following one change at Bristol Temple Meads. Otherwise you can catch a direct train from Cheltenham Spa at 17:52 which gets you back for 19:44.

PUBS/FOOD

According to footballtripper.com the stadium is located just 15 minutes away from the town centre and there are numerous pubs en-route. The website recommends: The Sudley Arms, The Feathered Fish and The Kemble Brewery. Alongside the expected fast food outlets within the town centre there are also two fish and chip ship shops near the stadium with one on Whaddon Road itself, just 150 yards past the stadium, and the other next to the Sudley Arms pub on Prestbury Road.

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Match Reports

📝 Cheltenham Town 1 City 1

Grecians hold on for a point in controversial circumstances at Jonny Rocks Stadium

6 April 2019

Exeter City picked up a hard-earned point in controversial circumstances against Cheltenham Town.

The Grecians had looked in control of the match early in the second half, having been given a lead at the break through Dean Moxey’s pinpoint strike.

However, Cheltenham were then awarded a dubious penalty for a collision between City keeper Christy Pym and striker Luke Varney to level the scores. And then to make matters worse Pym, having been booked for giving away the penalty, was then shown a second yellow card deep into injury time for pushing Billy Waters as he attempted to stop the keeper from taking a goal kick quickly.

City manager Matt Taylor rang the changes last weekend’s 4-1 defeat to Mansfield Town, with Ryan Bowman, Archie Collins, Troy Brown and Pierce Sweeney coming into the side for Hiram Boateng, Dara O’Shea, Lee Holmes and Donovan Wilson.

The game started at a frantic pace with both teams struggling to keep hold of possession in midfield. However, it was Cheltenham who went close early on as Chris Clements had an effort from the edge of the area before Kevin Dawson, scorer of two early goals when the side met at the Jonny Rocks Stadium early last season, dragging an effort across goal and wide.

City always carried a threat though and when Matt Jay did superbly well to spring the offside trap he was slightly unfortunate to see his shot from inside the box whistle past the post.

Then just past the half-hour mark Ryan Broom had a shot blocked from inside the box, by Troy Brown, before Waters reacted to the rebound to bring out a comfortable save from Pym.

Moments later Ryan Bowman looped a header onto the roof of the net, from a Kane Wilson cross before the Grecians took the lead on 35 minutes.

The goal came from a corner, that was half cleared, and Craig Woodman found Moxey with a neat ball to the edge of the box and he worked the ball onto his left foot before arrowing a shot into the bottom corner through a crowd of players.

However, the match was only eight minutes into the second half when the home side were given a controversial way back into the match as Pym came and punched clear under challenge from Luke Varney.

The City keeper’s follow through saw him collide with the Cheltenham Town striker, who left on a stretcher but, to the bewilderment of the defenders, referee Brett Huxtable pointed to the penalty spot to allow Connor Thomas the chance to fire into the top corner to level the scores.

After that, it was the home side who made most of the running as Pym, who was booked for giving away the penalty, tipped a Kevin Dawson shot over the crossbar before making a superb double save to deny substitute Rakish Bingham.

Nicky Law also had a shot blocked for City before Bowman’s angled drive was well saved by Scott Flinders with six minutes of normal time left.

Then Bingham and Dawson both headed good chances wide before the game went into nine minutes of stoppage time where referee Huxtable took centre stage once more.

Having not allowed City to make their final substitution, bringing on Lee Martin, the ball went out for a goal kick with seconds left on the clock.

Waters attempted to hold up play by keeping the ball from Pym and received a push in the back from the City shot stopper. Huxtable showed Pym his second yellow card. That meant James Hamon came off the bench instead, and had to make one final save of the match before the referee blew his whistle for full-time.

Cheltenham Town: Flinders, Hussey, Tozer, Boyle, Raglan, Broom (Long, 86), Dawson, Thomas, Clements (Maddox, 58), Waters, Varney (Bingham, 58) Subs not used: Lovett, Lloyd, Forster, Pring.

Exeter City: Pym (Hamon, 90+8), Sweeney, Woodman (Boateng, 82), Law, Bowman, Jay (D Wilson, 66), Wilson, Moxey, Taylor, Collins, Brown. Subs not used: O’Shea, L Martin, Holmes, Williams.

Attendance: 4,709 (1,102, away)

Ticket News

🎟 AWAY TICKETS: Cheltenham Town (April 6)

Tickets are now on sale for City's trip to the Jonny-Rocks Stadium

3 April 2019

Tickets are only on sale at the Jonny-Rocks Stadium for City's match against Cheltenham Town on Saturday, April 6 in a 3pm kick-off.

Tickets can be purchased on the turnstiles at Cheltenham and you can only pay by cash. Tickets are unallocated and there is expected to be 300 tickets available on the day.

Ticket prices in the Hazlewoods Stand are as follows.

Adults: £21
65: £15
Under-18/Full-time students: £7

Advanced discounts: No.

Matchday purchases: Yes, cash only from the away turnstiles.

Ambulant: Pay age-related price and carer free.

Wheelchair: Pay age-related price and carer/assistant free. There are two wheelchair spaces available, which can only be purchased in person or by calling the Exeter City Ticket Office on 01392 411 243.

Grecian Travel: Grecian Travel is available for the fixture. It will depart at 10am with a £22 fare. For more information click here.

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