Part two of our season review takes us from November into January, which saw the Grecians begin their FA Cup campaign that would go close to creating history...
November
Ask any Exeter City fan for their game of the season, and there’s a chance many will recall the topsy-turvy eight goal thriller against Barnet in the first round of the FA Cup. Taking the lead through Josh Magennis, City had hoped it would be a routine victory over the non-league side, but what occurred over the next 80 minutes could hardly have been predicted. Trailing 2-1, and then 3-2 to the National League leaders with just five minutes remaining, cue carnage in Devon. Magennis scored twice from the penalty spot to secure a hat trick, which looked to take the game to extra time, but a determined City had other ideas. Jay Bird scored six minutes into added time with a peculiar goal as he fell over, before Kamari Doyle made the most of Barnet pushing too many up for a corner to score a fifth in the 101st minute… After the drama of the cup, Tristan Crama’s header was enough for City to follow it up with a 1-0 win over Charlton. There were defeats to promotion certs Birmingham and Wrexham, before City made it into the FA Cup third round with a simple win over Chesterfield.
December
The festive month proved difficult for City, but it was another month that did end strongly. A 2-2 draw against then league leaders Wycombe, who had won 11 in a row coming into the game was a great start, but sadly we lost three in a row as a defeat Birmingham in the EFL Trophy knockout stages was sandwiched by losses against Stockport and Barnsley. Nonetheless, the Grecians would end the Christmas period with seven points from three games.
Milli Alli’s outstanding long range effort helped secure a 2-1 win at Burton, before Richards bagged his first ever EFL goal as City beat Bristol Rovers on Boxing Day. After the chaos of the previous month’s Barnet game, there probably weren’t many hearts that could take another eight goal thriller, but that is what City and Crawley Town served up in the final game of 2024. 4-1 down at half time to the league strugglers, the Grecians looked out of sorts and beaten, but one of the greatest comebacks in the club’s recent history somehow salvaged a point. A screamer from Vincent Harper and Ryan Woods’ effort direct from a corner pegged the game back to 4-3 deep in stoppage time, where Demetri Mitchell unleashed another ferocious effort to draw the game level at 4-4.
January
January was a difficult month in the league, but City saw cup success again with a third round victory over Oxford United meaning the Grecians would taste the fourth round of the FA Cup for the first since 1981, when Brian Godfrey’s heroes led a march to the quarter finals. After falling behind early, Demetri Mitchell found the net twice before half time, with Vinnie Harper adding a long range third to secure our place in fine fashion. Another highlight of the month was Milli Alli’s stoppage time leveller as we drew 1-1 at Peterborough United. We also welcome new faces to the side as Gary Caldwell introduced seven new signings. Ed Turns, Angus MacDonald, Alex Hartridge, Joel Colwill, Ryan Trevitt, Tony Yogane and Andrew Oluwabori all put pen to paper in Devon.