📝 Match Preview: City v Tranmere Rovers

The details ahead of Saturday's big match against Tranmere Rovers

28 February 2019

Exeter City return to St James Park looking to continue their good run of form against Tranmere Rovers in Sky Bet League Two.

The Grecians go into the match following a win over Crewe Alexandra last weekend and they also took a point away from top of the table Lincoln City on Tuesday meaning they sit fifth in the league table.

Ahead of the match, City boss Matt Taylor said: “We're on the back of two good performances and from a heartbreaking moment in terms of the equaliser (at Lincoln City) on Tuesday night, but two good performances against two good teams. We face another in-form team and another candidate for those play-off places."

LAST TIME WE MET

The sides last met back in November when the Grecians fell to a 2-0 defeat at Prenton Park as James Norwood netted twice for the home side that day.

TICKET NEWS

Tickets are on sale at advance prices until 5pm in person and midnight online, on Friday, March 1 so, why not save money and time queuing by buying in advance!

You can book online via Mobile, tablet or desktop by visiting: tickets.ecfc.co.uk or by calling: 01392 411 243 or by visiting the club shop/reception at St James Park.

Ticket prices are as follows, advance tickets are available up to the day before the match.

You can book online via Mobile, tablet or desktop by visiting: tickets.ecfc.co.uk or by calling: 01392 411 243 or by visiting the club shop/reception at St James Park.

MATCH DAY PROGRAMME

In the latest edition of The Grecian, you can read an in-depth feature with City youngster Archie Collins as he discusses his rise into the first team, how the City academy develop players and recent form. You can also read features from regular contributors, Matt Bamsey and Tony Morris. You’ll also be able to take a detailed look at Tranmere Rovers.

NATIONAL CITIZEN SERVICE (NCS)

The match against Tranmere is the designated NCS match in which the players will warm up in NCS t-shirts and there will be information available about the fantastic programme.

NCS is a flagship government initiative that provides young people aged 15-17 the chance to take on new challenges, experience exciting activities, make long-lasting friendships and develop vital skills that will support them later in life. It was launched to tackle three core issues of importance to society: social cohesion, social mobility and social engagement.

In Exeter the NCS programme is delivered by Exeter CITY Community Trust with the support of teens who have already graduated from the programme and has made its mark on people’s lives and the local community. Participants enjoy a number of fun-filled team activities while away on a residential retreat, before returning to help local charities raise money through various different community-based events.

You can read more about NCS in the match day programme.

MATCH DAY ACTIVITIES

Stadium Tours

Did you know that the Supporters' Trust offer FREE tours around St James Park?
The free guided tours are great for anyone who’d like to get a behind the scenes view, whilst finding out about the history of their club. The tours and are open to all; you don’t have to be a Trust member to come along.

Tours start at 11am on matchdays from Red Square and take in many parts of the ground that you wouldn’t otherwise get to see, including the boardroom, the brand new players’ changing rooms, match officials’ facilities and the security hub. Lasting around 90 minutes, you will almost certainly learn something you didn’t know before, and maybe you’ll be able to tell us something from your experiences of coming to City that we didn’t know! To book your place, please contact reception on: reception@ecfc.co.uk or call 01392 411 243, or email: andybratt1@gmail.com.

Target Shot

Test your football skills with our FREE target shot attraction and see if you can get the highest score!

Lez the Fez

Back by popular demand! Lez the Fez will bring his unique blend of magic, balloon modelling and humour to St James Park on Saturday!

Lez the Fez is one of the most popular magicians and entertainers in Devon with his amazing sleight-of-hand close up magic, balloon modelling and humour putting him at the top of his magician profession. Lez will be undertaking a walking performance through the Centre Spot, Red Square, Junior Grecians Family Zone and all the hospitality areas.

FREE Face Painting

The face painters are a valuable addition to matchdays and judging by the sights around the ground it is just as popular with adults as well as youngsters.

Their normal route if you want to catch them is: Starting at the Tombola Stall they head through Red Square for the Centre Spot before heading back to the family Junior Grecian Family Zone. Leaving the zone for the stadium, they start with the IP Office Main Stand and Stagecoach Adam Stansfield Stand before finishing on the Thatchers Big Bank.

Join the Guard of Honour

Want to be on the pitch as the players enter SJP? Then be part of the flag waving, Guard of Honour!

Subject to the weather, this week's Guard of Honour will assemble at 2:30pm, with lucky children from the IP Office Main Stand selected. Parents are both welcome AND encouraged to join in the activity. After assembling, the Guard of Honour (and parents) move to the far side of ground to get some practice in waving their flags, which also presents an opportunity for Grecian to pose for photographs.

When the players finish their warm up the Guard of Honour go on their 'lap of honour' in front of the stands to the players’ tunnel. After they have been on the field and welcomed the teams and officials onto the pitch they receive their “gift” (normally a packet of sweets) and certificates of participation.
If your son, daughter or grandchild has not been involved in the Guard of Honour, please email customerservices@exetercityfc.co.uk.

Junior Grecians Lounge

The Junior Grecians are the Official Junior Supporters Club of Exeter City FC and its members have exclusive use of the Zone from 12:30pm until it is available to all families at 1:30pm.

The room provides a safe comfortable environment for families to enjoy pre-match entertainment, such as a large screen TVs, Playstation consoles and Table Football, as well as the option to enjoy refreshments from the Zone’s very own kiosk.

Other Activities

You can also pick up some free player stickers, featuring players that have come through the Exeter City Academy on the day in Red Square. You can also take part in the Exeter City tombola where the first prize is a signed Exeter City football. All funds raised go directly to the academy to support the future of the club.

MATCH DAY TIMETABLE

Take a look below to familiarise yourself with the key matchday timings here at St James Park.

MATCH DAY MUSIC

City right back Pierce Sweeney has chosen Saturday’s playlist!

MASCOTS

You can read the mascot profiles in the match day programme which you can pick up in the stadium for £3.00 on the day. For mascot booking or information, please contact andy.gillard@ecfc.co.uk

CLUB SHOP

The club shop will be open from 11am to give you the opportunity to make some purchases ahead of the match and will close at 5.30pm.

🎟 PLACE YOUR TRUST IN CITY 🎟

Season tickets for the 20/21 campaign are now on sale and play a huge part in enabling your club remains financially stable and well prepared

By purchasing a season ticket in the super saver period, you will not only make huge and the best savings on admission for the campaign, but enable the club to operate fully whilst we have a period of no matches and minimal income. Find out more by clicking here.

Match Reports

📝 City 0 Tranmere Rovers 1

City denied late point as Tranmere leave St James Park victorious thanks to James Norwood's defle

2 March 2019

James Norwood’s deflected volley in the first-half was enough for Tranmere Rovers to overcome Exeter City at St James Park, despite a spirited fightback from the Grecians in the second half.

Boss Matt Taylor made two changes from the side that conceded late in Tuesday night’s draw in Lincoln City, with Lee Holmes and Randell Williams returning to the starting XI over Aaron Martin and Ryan Bowman.

It was the visitors who started the brighter of the two sides, with a flurry of chances to shoot following Ben Pringle’s free-kick into a dangerous area after five minutes, but City defended bravely and blocked a couple of goalbound efforts to eventually recover possession.

Donovan Wilson’s game then came to a premature end as he went off injured after 26 minutes and replaced by Jonathan Forte. Tranmere would take the lead soon after as a long ball out of

Tranmere would take the lead soon after as a long ball out of defence found James Norwood, and his effort on the half-volley deflected off Pierce Sweeney and rolled agonisingly beyond Christy Pym just before the half-hour mark.

Great solo work from Forte produced an opportunity for the City man as he broke through on goal, but Emmanuel Monthe did just enough to prevent the striker getting a clear sight of goal, and restricted the home side to just a corner. It proved to be the Grecians’ best chance in a relatively turgid first 45, with both sides struggling to create anything of note beyond Norwood’s strike.

City started the second half more aggressively, with Randell Williams enjoyed a good spell against Zoumana Bakayogo – cutting across the fullback and firing a dangerous low cross in on 53 minutes that goalkeeper Scott Davies did well to hold on to, before drawing a foul – and a yellow card – off of the former Ivory Coast youth international a couple of minutes later.

It was a dominant period for the Grecians, whose pressure ultimately resulted in a chance for Matt Jay that he could only fire wide on the volley.

Lee Holmes was a persistent threat down the City left, and his cross for Forte was dangerous enough to have resulted in an equaliser but the substitute’s header under pressure flew wide.

A corner routine after 67 minutes then saw Holmes hit the side-netting as he latched onto Matt Jay’s pass. The City winger was involved again a couple of minutes later, again crossing for Forte, but this time the forward’s glancing header flew over.

The City pressure ramped up and up into the dying minutes; Pierce Sweeney saw his effort blocked inadvertently by teammate Nicky Law following a corner, before Jonathan Forte’s acrobatic volley from close range was saved spectacularly by Davies in the Tranmere goal.

Davies was on hand again to deny Forte’s header deep into injury time with another superb save; it was a backs-to-the-wall defensive effort from Tranmere with the City back-line largely untroubled for the duration of the second half, but it’s the visitors that emerge from the game with all three points.

Exeter City: Pym, Sweeney, Woodman, O’Shea, Holmes, Williams (Law 76), Jay, D Wilson (Forte 26), K Wilson, Taylor, Collins (Boateng 69). Subs not used: Hamon, Martin, J Brown, Hartridge.

Tranmere Rovers: Davies, Monthe, Norwood, Jennings, McCullough, Caprice, Ellis, Perkins, Smith (Gilmour 67), Bakayogo, Pringle (Nelson 90+3). Subs not used: Pilling, Buxton, Mullin, Banks, Dagnall.

Booked: Perkins, Bakayogo, McCullough

Attendance: 4,855 (405 away)

Ticket News

🎟 Grab advance priced tickets for Saturday's clash with Tranmere Rovers

City return to action at the Park on Saturday, March 2

27 February 2019

City return to action at the Park to face Tranmere Rovers on Saturday, March 2, in a 3pm kick-off.

The Grecians picked up four points from their last two away matches against Crewe Alexandra and Lincoln and moved up to fifth in the table.

This Saturday, City take on a Tranmere side sitting in 9th place, just 3 points behind, your support will prove crucial!

Tickets are on sale at advance prices until 5pm in person and midnight online, on Friday, March 1 so, why not save money and time queuing by buying in advance!

You can book online via Mobile, tablet or desktop by visiting: tickets.ecfc.co.uk or by calling: 01392 411 243 or by visiting the club shop/reception at St James Park.

Ticket prices are as follows, advance tickets are available up to the day before the match.

Thatchers Big Bank		Ticket Prices
Ticket Type	Advance	Gate
Adult	£17	£18
Senior	£14	£15
Student	£14	£15
Under-18	£6	£7
Wheelchair Area	£14	£15

IP Office Main Stand/ Stagecoach Adam Stansfield Stand		Ticket Prices
Ticket Type	Advance	Gate
Adult	£23	£24
Senior	£20	£21
Student	£20	£21
Under-18	£11	£12
Wheelchair Area	£19	£20

You can book online via Mobile, tablet or desktop by visiting: tickets.ecfc.co.uk or by calling: 01392 411 243 or by visiting the club shop/reception at St James Park.

Junior Grecians tickets

One of the benefits of Junior Grecians membership is their ticket offer which sees 2 memebers go free per-paying adult!

There are two Family Friendly areas available in this offer. Sections E+F in the IP Office Stand and a section of the Thatchers Big Bank (Identified by white barriers).

Seating is limited and it is advisable to book early. For most matches we should have sufficent standing places to meet demand, although we advise early booking.

Conditions:

Open to Junior Grecians members only
Maximum of 2 Junior Grecians Members per-paying adult
Available in the areas outlined above.
Subject to availability.
Must be booked 24 hours in advance.
Does not automatically include cup matches, although some may be available.
We reserve the right to exclude anyone breaching these terms from further offers.

Click here to find out more and purchase online.

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