City made it a third pre-season win and a fourth clean sheet in four following an impressive display at the Cygnet Health Centre Stadium against National League South opposition Taunton Town.
Early play saw encouraging signs for both teams, with the hosts and the visitors both able to create somewhat of a threat in their opposing final thirds. The travelling Grecians didn’t have to wait long to get in front, when in the eighth minute Demetri Mitchell was able to fire a powerful shot off towards the bottom-left of the Taunton goal, proving too much for Dan Lavercombe who deflected the ball into his own net.
22 minutes in and Taunton were able to create their first real threat of the game, with Cheick Diabate being forced into defensive action by clearing a Taunton cross out for a corner. A strong delivery was followed by panic in the Exeter box with the ball bobbling for a few seconds before being cleared away from danger.
The 30th minute saw the first of the pre-arranged substitutions from Exeter, with Edgecombe and Billington making way for Sweeney and Harper to tackle the remaining hour of play.
The hosts were given another chance at goal when in the 32nd minute a free kick was awarded just outside the Grecian penalty area, with a Lucas shot finding its way straight into the gloves of Woods and proving to be an easy save for the City keeper.
Having given Taunton a chance to get back into the game, City immediately looked to make it two in the 34thminute when a smart looking attack resulted in Sweeney neatly crossing a ball into the Taunton penalty area, with a Nombe header not being quite enough to make it two as the ball flew just wide of the post.
The Peacocks mounted a fast counterattack, with a ball over the top into new signing Linton putting him through one-on-one with Woods, who pulled another strong save out of the bag to prevent the hosts from getting onto the scoresheet.
The final chance of the first 45 came in the form of another Taunton corner kick and despite a smart looking delivery into the penalty area, City were better prepared to deal with the threat at the second time of asking and cleared the ball away before the referee blew his whistle to signal the break in play.
The beginning of the second half saw the addition of another scheduled substitution in the form of Cole replacing Carroll for the second 45 minutes of play.
Exeter spent no time in doubling their lead after the break, with a cheeky Nombe backheel from 8 yards out finding the back of the net and giving the Grecians some breathing room.
Woods was once again tested immediately after, with a swift Taunton attack from kick-off relying on another strong save from the keeper to keep the visitors two in front.
What would ensue would be a plethora of chances from the visiting team at the Taunton goal, with the new Brentford loanee, Trevitt, trying to get his name on the scoresheet in only his second game in a slightly different red and white strip, following a shot on goal that was sent just that bit wide of the post, keeping the goalkeeper on his toes.
57 minutes in and the hard work paid off for new signing Trevitt after a cross from Scott found the youngster a couple yards out, allowing him to chip the ball over the goalkeeper and into the roof of the net.
In the 60th minute the final seven substitutes from the visiting team entered the field of play, with Rankine, Diabate, Hartridge, Trevitt, Scott, Mitchell and Nombe making space for Beardmore, Aimson, James, O’Connor, Aitchison, Borges, and Cox.
The impressive display in front of goal from Exeter keeper Woods continued in the 71st as another impressive save combined with brave defensive work from James once again denied the hosts from getting onto the scoresheet.
Chances began to die down in the dying minutes of the second half, with new signing Cole firing a shot just high and wide of the Taunton goal, preventing the visitors from making it four.
The self-proclaimed dead-ball specialist was given another chance to show his worth in the 90th minute, hitting a well placed free-kick into the depths of the Taunton penalty area to be met with the leaping head of James who was unable to capitalise and tipped it just wide of the far post.
No matter though as soon as the goal kick was taken the referee blew the whistle for the last time to conclude the Grecians fourth pre-season game of the summer with the visiting Devonians leaving the Cygnet Health Care Stadium with a stride in their step after an impressive three nil win.
Exeter now head South to Plainmoor in their fifth pre-season game against Torquay United on Saturday 22ndJuly.
Exeter City: Woods, Rankine (Beardmore), Billington (Sweeney), Diabate (Aimson), Hartidge (James), Edgecombe (Harper), Carroll (Cole), Trevitt (O’Connor), Scott (Aitchison), Mitchell (Borges), Nombe (Cox)
Taunton Town: Lavercombe, Smith, Grimes, Evans, Booth, Chamberlain, Guest, Lucas (Doleman), James (Tabu), Sims-Burgess (Day), Linton
Subs: Irish, Tabu, Jarvis