Records crumbled in the first midweek game of the season, the Grecians galloped to a 7-0 win away to Cheltenham Town, resulting in the club's biggest victory since 1949.

A floodlit away trip to the Completely-Suzuki stadium saw 2231 supporters watch Matt Taylor's boys in red hot Carabao Cup action. Goals from Sam Nombe (2) Archie Collins, Matt Jay, Jack Sparkes, Harry Kite and Josh Coley secured a 7-0 demolition of the sorry Robins, who were not at the races.

As well as the 1949 record, it was also the biggest League Cup win in City's history, a biggest win in all competitions since 1935, the first time the Grecians had scored more than six away from since 1949

A whole host of changes were made for the first cup fixture of the season by Taylor. Giving Sam Stubbs, Jake Caprice and Jay all their first starts of the season, Matt also gave Scott Brown and Josh Coley starts from the weekend drubbing of Port Vale.

A bright start down the Exeter left hand side saw Jack Sparkes send in a sighting cross to Sam Nombe who just cannot make a connection on the ball. Another Sparkes ball makes it into the box, with the ball making its way even closer to the foot of Nombe.

There was a scary moment for the The Grecians as Pierce Sweeney went down with a suspected shoulder injury, but much to the delight of the traveling away fans he got back onto his feet and was able to carry on.

After a dull 20 minutes, few of those in attendance could have foreseen the next 25, as City took full control of the game.

First came another goal for the goalscoring machine Nombe making three in three for the silky forward. An awful pass out from the back by Cheltenham saw Jay capitalise, playing Jake Caprice down the right hand side putting the ball on a platter for Nombe to slot the ball away from three yards out.

Only three minutes later and the ball was in the back of the net once again with Alex Hartridge playing the ball across the edge of the penalty area for City’s magic number eight Archie Collins to rifle the ball home from 25 yards out.

90 seconds later, City made it 3-0 with captain fantastic Jay leaping like a salmon at the back post thanks to a fantastic looping cross from Caprice for his second assist of the game. Exeter were controlling the game with ease not allowing Cheltenham any of the ball.

Seven minutes later, City made it 4-0 with Sweeney swinging in an absolute peach of a cross to land directly on the head of Nombe to grab his second of the game and his fourth of the season already. That’s eight goals Taylor's boys have scored in the space of a game and a half.

And Sparkes made it 5-0 right on the cusp of half-time. A sublime piece of skill by Nombe sends Cheltenham centre half Tom Bradbury for a hotdog and then fizzed the ball right across the face of goal onto the leg of free running wing back Sparkes to fire the ball into the back of the net.

There were two changes for City at half-time, with Alfie Pond and Sonny Cox both given their first minutes of the season, replacing Sweeney and Nombe respectively. 

After only five minutes of the second half played, Harry ‘no tap in’ Kite put City 6-0 up after another of his trademark outside of the box screamers, thanks to the well utilised Hartridge long throw.

Once the sixth goal went in Taylor wrung the changes replacing Sparkes, Hartridge and Collins with Josh Key, Jonathan Grounds and Kegs Chauke, keeping the players fresh ready for the away trip on Saturday to Cambridge.

The pressure was constant from The Grecians, with the ball barely out of the Cheltenham defensive third. With Cox almost making it seven but an excellent goal line clearance from The Robins kept it at six.

In the 75th minute Cheltenham have their first big chance of the second half but some excellent defending from the deputising Pond, led to Ellis Chapman clearing the stand behind Scott Brown to keep the score at a subtle 6-0.  A very happy and relaxed return to the Completely-Suzuki Stadium for veteran goalkeeper Brown after spending much of his professional career with The Robins. He had barely a save to make throughout the whole game as the home side offered little to the Grecians backline. 

Cox almost made it seven, but a miss hit just inside the six yard area leads to the ball firing wide of the near post, a very big chance for Cox going amiss. But not to worry, only three minutes later Coley made it seven with a beautiful jinxing run through the Cheltenham defence sliding it past the hapless Luke Southwood.

After another thrilling game, The Grecians are now looking forward to another away trip, heading to the delightful city of Cambridge to face off at Abbey Stadium for their second away league trip of the season.

Starting XI: Brown, Caprice, Sparkes (Key), Stubbs, Hartridge (Grounds), Jay (C), Collins (Chauke), Nombe (Cox), Kite, Coley, Sweeney (Pond)

Subs Not Used: Dieng, Brown, Lee, Diabate

Cheltenham: Southwood, Bradbury, Raglan (C), Brown (Ebanks), Chapman, Ferry, Adshead (Sercombe), Lloyd (May), Bonds (Barkers), Horton, Taylor (Long)

Subs Not Used: Hutchinson, Perry, Barkers, MacDonald

Referee: Will Finnie

Attendance: 2231 (322 Away)