Exeter City lost on the opening day of the season for the first time since 2016 as a contentious late penalty allowed Doncaster Rovers to seal a 1-0 win at the Eco-Power Stadium.
With the game seemingly heading for a goalless stalemate, Sil Swinkels was deemed to have handled the ball with two minutes of time remaining, with Luke Molyneux stepping up to slot past Joe Whitworth. Though defeated, City can take heart from senior debuts handed to Kieran Wilson and George Birch in the second half, with the duo having impressed during pre-season.
Ahead of the clash with the League One new boys, Gary Caldwell handed debuts to three players as Swinkels, Ethan Brierley and Jayden Wareham pulled on a City shirt for the first time in competitive action, while shot-stopper Whitworth made a second debut for the Grecians after a return on loan from Crystal Palace.
First Half
City started well in South Yorkshire and were unfortunate not to take the lead Wareham as raced onto Ed Turns’ flick. He squared the ball across goal for Sonny Cox, who could only fire wide five minutes in.
Luke Molyneux then went close for the hosts from Jamie Sterry’s pass as he fired over, but it was the Grecians who were coming closest to finding an opening. After winning the free-kick 35-yards out, Reece Cole whipped a teasing free-kick into the six yard area where the toe of what looked like Turns crashed the ball against the crossbar.
The hosts though, who were back in League One after winning the league last season, were in a confident mood with the staunch attacking presence of Brandon Hanlan making City’s back-line work. Though unwelcome, the back three trio of Turns, Swinkels and Jack Fitzwater were dealing with the aerial threat the hosts posed.
Cox clipped a header wide via a deflection from Ilmari Niskanen’s near-post delivery, before City recycled play from the corner kick, eventually allowing Fitzwater the opportunity to swing in a fierce right footed cross. Cox and Wareham both battled for the ball between two Rovers defenders, but the ball evaded all four with the Grecians looking to end the half strongly.
Second Half
Both teams returned to the field unchanged for the second 45, and just a few minutes in Wareham could have given City the lead when he turned Jack McMillan’s cross just wide.
But the hosts also had their chances as Connor O’Riordan smashed an effort over from ten yards. A few inches lower and it would have been the lead for the hosts.
The contest continued to be cagey throughout the second half, with Rovers pressing against a City back-line that remained resolute in front of a raucous home crowd.
It wasn’t until the last 15 minutes of the contest that the intensity of the game cranked up, as Caldwell introduced Birch and Wilson for senior debuts for the Grecians after performances over the summer.
Doncaster thought they’d taken the lead when substitute Damola Ajayi latched onto square ball across goal with Whitworth beaten, but a scarcely believable block from Fitzwater prevented the opening goal of the game.
Niskanen then almost pounced on a defensive error from Cox’s ball, but goalkeeper Thimothee Lo-Tutala *just* got a hand to his effort.
The game would be decided in the 88th minute when Swinkels was deemed to have handled an aerial ball. Though there was little appeal from the home players, referee Ross Joyce pointed straight to the spot, with Molyneux stepping up to score and decide the game.
City are at home next up, facing Blackpool next Saturday in a 3pm kick-off.
Doncaster Rovers: Lo-Tutala, Sterry (Gotts), Maxwell (Senior), Bailey ©, Pearson, Molyneux, Broadbent, Hanlan (Sharp), O’Riordan, Clifton (Ajayi), Middleton (Gibson).
Subs not used: Lawlor, Grehan.
Exeter City XI: Whitworth, McMillan (Dean), Turns, Fitzwater, Swinkels, Niskanen, Brierley, Francis (McDonald), Cole © (Birch) , Cox (Wilson), Wareham (Aitchison).
Subs not used: Bycroft, Cummins.
Attendance: 8,688
Referee: R Joyce