Exeter City Women began their pre-season preparations with a 2-1 win over Champions League opposition as they defeated Cardiff City at Exwick on Sunday afternoon.
Ishbel Zuurmond’s delightful and dink and Amber Pollock’s cultured finish ensured the Grecians turned the game on its head after falling behind early on in the first battle of the day between England and Wales – the match preceding the crucial UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 fixture in Switzerland.
It was a first pre-season fixture of the summer for Abbie Britton’s side, who had the searing heat to contend with at Exwick.
First Half
It was Bluebirds who had the first effort of the game as their trialist fired just wide from the edge of the area, but the goal kick allowed Jasmine Read in the City goal to set Sophie Gillies free. Racing through one on one with Cardiff stopper Coryn Chamberlain backtracking, Gillies attempted the lob but couldn’t quite find the finish.
The same player who threatened for the visitors early on found the net shortly after Gillies’ effort, as she collected the ball midway through the City half, drove forward and lifted the ball over Read.
Cardiff, who were already deep into their pre-season schedule having played Cheltenham Town last week, were in control during the first half proceedings but City could have levelled had Lily Dowling sent her shot a couple of inches to the right as she dragged wide from Beth Everson’s cross.
Fiona Barry, who was the Welsh side’s young player of the year last season, sent an effort wide from the edge of the box as she searched for a second goal for the visitors, but that chance galvanised the Grecians as Jess Sandland sent Gillies through on the left hand side. Again, Chamberlain got the better of the striker as she beat Gillies to the ball to smother.
A leveller came not long before the half-time break as Ishbel Zuurmond started pre-season as she end the last campaign – with a goal. Latching onto a lofted ball forward from Sandland and beating the offside trap, Zuurmond delightful chipped the ball over the onrushing Chamberlain and into an empty net.
There were huge shouts for a penalty just moments after when Everson beat three players under pressure before colliding with Shannon Evans in the area, but the referee was unmoved.
Second Half
Britton changed the line up at half-time, with several new players introduced into the action.
City should have taken the lead in spectacular style shortly after the break as Amber Pollock crashed a audacious volley against the bar from outside the box. City player of the season protested that it had crossed the line as it bounced down, but the scores remained level.
Lily Billingham had the opportunity to restore the lead for Cardiff when she dispossessed a trialist defender on the by-line, but she could only find the side netting from close range.
Play was stopped when a City trialist, who showed pace down the right hand side, collided with Cardiff’s alternate goalkeeper in a 50/50 challenge in the area. The shot-stopper came off worse but was thankfully ok to continue after being checked by the physio.
Sarah Stacey could have given City the lead when she headed over from close range from Jaydee Seaman’s lofted delivery, but she was perhaps too close to put any direction on her powered effort. A third penalty shout was then turned down after Pollock was brought down by the keeper after her initial shot was saved.
City’s pacy trialist on the right was having a fantastic game and it could have been 2-1 to the Grecians had her ball to the far-post found the net, with Pollock also just inches away from connecting to it. Sandland then crashed an effort against the bar after dispossessing her opponent on the edge of the Cardiff box.
The Grecians, and Amber Pollock, eventually did find the goal they deserved as she beat the keeper from a narrow angle. Receiving the ball inside the area she took the perfect touch and powered the ball across the keeper, into the near post.
Pollock should have added a third late on, but could only volley Stacey’s delivery over the bar.
First Half XI: Read, Trialist A, Sandland, Toogood, Everson, Dowling, Baker (Slocombe), Ireland, Zuurmond, Vaccaro, Gillies.
Second Half XI: Read (Trialist E), Trialist B, Trialist C, Seaman ©, Franchi, Slocombe, Ireland, Zuurmond, Pollock, Stacey, Trialist D.