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Match Reports

Bath City 0 Exeter City 2

City win Brian Lomax Cup thanks to goals from Jake Taylor and Ryan Harley

14 July 2017

Match Reports

Bath City 0 Exeter City 2

City win Brian Lomax Cup thanks to goals from Jake Taylor and Ryan Harley

14 July 2017

Goals from Jake Taylor and Ryan Harley were enough to see Exeter City win the Brian Lomax Cup as they recorded a 2-0 pre-season win over Bath City.

The trophy, named after the father of the supporter trust movement, was competed for by Exeter, who have been supporter-owned since 2003, and Bath who have recently seen their fans take charge of the club.

City manager Paul Tisdale named three teenagers in the starting XI with Archie Collins, Jack Sparkes and Ben Seymour all given chance to impress.

And the Grecians started the match brightly with Collins finding Matt Jay who had a shot from 12 yards well held by Bath keeper Matt Cafer. However, Cafer was left motionless moments later as Seymour rose at the near post to glance a header across goal and wide.

Jay and Jordan Moore-Taylor then both sent headers on target before the lively 16-year-old Sparkes hit a half-volley from 30 yards out that flew just past the left-hand post.

However, as the game approached the half hour mark chances in front of goal dwindled. Ryan Brunt, on trial with City during pre-season, replaced Seymour to have a 15-minute run-out in a red and white. But it was the home side who ended the half on top with Billy Murphy having a shot from 20 yards out that, in truth, never looked like troubling Pym.

Tis made 11 changes at the break as Reuben Reid and Liam McAlinden started the second half up front and trialist Jack Barthram started at right-back.

It was Bath who had a golden opportunity to take the lead five minutes into the second half though as Luke Croll brought down George Rigg in the box. Croll had initially blocked a good effort from Nick McCootie but, charging down George Rigg’s follow up, he caught the player and the referee pointed to the spot. Thankfully for City though, Hamon dived to his left and got two strong hands to Billy Murphy’s poorly-taken penalty.

McCootie then had a close-range effort saved by Hamon just past the hour mark before City started to get on top of the match.

The breakthrough goal came in the 73rd minute as Taylor played a ball into McAlinden on the edge of the box and the former Wolves man produced a neat flick to play the ball back to Taylor who then slid a shot across Cafer and into the net.

Taylor then should have had a second two minutes later as he fired a low Reid cross towards goal, but Cafer dived across his line superbly to block. City did double their lead moments later though as Barthram chipped a ball for Harley to volley home from 10 yards out.

City continued to press forward and Bath substitute, Will Christopher, had to stick out a leg to stop Taylor’s effort, which was half-blocked by Cafer, from bobbling its way over the goal line. Then McAlinden did well to tee-up Reid, despite being tripped in the box, but his strike partner's shot was straight at Cafer.

City, first-half: Pym; Sweeney, Brown, Moore-Taylor, Woodman; Collins, Byrne, Tillson, Sparkes; Jay, Seymour (Brunt, 30). Second-half: Hamon; Barthram, Archibald-Henville, Croll, Hartridge; Harley, James, Smallcombe, Taylor; McAlinden, Reid

Bath City: Carfer; Simpson, Ball (Misso, 68), Welch-Hayes; Straker; Diallo, Ajala, Murphy, Watkins (Hunter, 73); Jarvis, Lucas. Subs: Morgan, Rigg, McCootie, Bennett, Forster, Christopher. 


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