Exeter City ended the 2024/25 League One season with a 3-0 defeat to Mansfield Town at the One Call Stadium, confirming a 16th place finish.
Goals from Stephen McLaughlin and Dom Dwyer in the first half were enough to decide the contest. Ben Waine netted in the second half to conclude the game, which could have had an entirely different scoreline had City taken some of their many chances
Gary Caldwell made three changes to his side from the 3-1 win over Huddersfield Town last time as Jack Fitzwater, Jake Richards and Joel Colwill all came into the side to replace Caleb Watts, Angus MacDonald and the injured Sonny Cox. For the first time this season, fresh back from an incredible loan spell at Exmouth Town, Frankie Phillips was named as backup goalkeeper, while young talent Liam Oakes and Charlie Cummins were also on the bench.
First Half
City could have begun the final game of the season with a goal inside 30 seconds, as Reece Cole’s half-volley hit the post from Ilmari Niskanen’s cross, with goalkeeper Scott Flinders scrambling to his left, before Tom Dean then ventured down the right to force a corner.
Before the clock had even struck four minutes, Stephen McLaughlin smashed an angled effort wide for the hosts from the left hand side of the Grecians’ 18-yard box.
It was a confident start from Caldwell’s men, who drew four corners inside ten minutes from the home side, with Cole’s dangerous boot causing issues for the Stags’ back line. Fitzwater saw his effort deflected, before Alex Hartridge’s bullet header was cleared just ahead of the line.
Mansfield grew into the contest and were seeing most of the ball by the mid-point of the half, with Jordan Bowery urged to shoot on several occasions by the home crowd after a previous effort from the edge of the box hit the roof of the stand.
Fitzwater was then unfortunate to concede a foul on the very edge of the box, which gave the hosts a golden opportunity to test Joe Whitworth. From the edge of the D, it was the opportunity the hosts took as Dom Dwyer’s effort rattled the crossbar, before Stephen McLaughlin headed home from barely a yard.
City could have had an instant equaliser when Joel Colwill attempted to round the keeper after a defensive mistake, but he was forced wide by Flinders who managed to get a fingertip to the ball to nudge it out of play for another City corner.
The Grecians certainly weren’t short of chances, with Tom Dean seeing his effort blocked before Hartridge lashed an effort wide from a move that started from his own long throw.
Sadly, missed chances would come back to bite City as Mansfield doubled their lead shortly before half-time. Aden Flint stepped out of defence to drive the ball forward for the hosts, finding Caylan Vickers on the right hand side. Vickers managed to squeeze into the area, squaring the ball to Dom Dwyer who had a tap in.
Mansfield could have had a third before the break as Vickers unleashing a ferocious volley that Whitworth had to tip over his crossbar, as the hosts began to show off their late season confidence that had been growing in recent weeks.
Second Half
City would have hoped to have come out for the second half the better side, but found themselves under pressure early on as Quinn and Bowery both looked to create chances in a packed penalty area.
That said, the Grecians thought they had pulled a goal back when Cole split the defence with a weighted ball with both Niskanen and Colwill racing clear. Niskanen took a touch, rounded Flinders, but could only find the side netting from inside the area. The Finn then had another chance minutes later, again from Cole’s ball, as he side-footed over.
Caldwell made a triple change as he introduced Tony Yogane, Ryan Woods and Ed Francis as the Grecians looked to capitalise on a lengthened period of possession and chances. Yogane almost had an immediate impact as he shrugged off Bowery down the left and delivered the ball across goal but there was no City man there to convert.
The Grecians were continuing to attack with intent, but whether it be a loose pass, a defensive block or a lucky bounce, it just wasn’t falling for City as the game began to ebb to a conclusion. Andrew Oluwabori was introduced to lead the line as Caldwell made a final attacking change to affect the outcome of the game, and he was felled on the edge of the box to give City hope of a set-piece goal, but Cole’s effort, and subsequent follow up both met blocks by the Stags defence.
City were dealt the final blow with less than ten minutes to go, as the Grecians gifted the hosts possession from their own attacking free-kick. Ben Waine raced through City’s half, sliding the ball underneath Whitworth.
From the kick-off, Cole was unfortunate to hit the woodwork for the second time as he driven effort clipped the far post. On another day, the Grecians could have been comfortably ahead in the contest, but it simply wasn’t their day.
Mansfield Town XI: Flinders (GK), Bowery, Flint, Cargill, McLaughlin, Reed (Anderson 88’), Baccus, S.Quinn © (Boateng 61’), Maris (Waine 68’), Vickers (Kokkinos 88’), Dwyer (Rhodes 68’).
Subs: Mason (GK), Evans.
Goals: McLaughlin 25’, Dwyer 38’, Waine 83’
Yellow Card: McLaughlin 90’
Exeter City XI: Whitworth (GK), McMillan (Oluwabori 70’), Hartridge, Fitzwater ©, Cole, Niskanen, Turns, Colwill (Oakes 87’), McDonald (Woods 57’), Dean (Yogane 57’), Richards (Francis 57’).
Subs: Phillips (GK), Cummins.
Referee: William Davis
Attendance: 7,494