Barnet 2-0 Exeter City
LINE-UPS:BARNET: Stephens, Johnson, Dembele (Gambin 60’), N'Gala, Nelson, Yiadom (capt), Weston (Bailey 80’), Akinde (Togwell 69’), Champion, Gash, Clarke.
SUBS: Muggleton, Batt, McLean, McKenzie-Lyle.
GOALS: Brown O.G. 34', Clarke 54’
EXETER CITY: Olejnik, McCready (Davies 55’), Brown, Ribeiro, McAllister, Butterfield (capt), Noble, Harley, Grant, Wheeler (Watkins 78’), Nichols (Morrison 59’).
SUBS: Hamon, Tillson, Oyeleke, Nicholls.
GOALS:
Referee: Ben Toner
Report
EXETER CITY’s search for a Saturday afternoon away win this season continues after a 2-0 Hallowe’en defeat at Barnet.
City made three changes for this one, and with Jordan Moore-Taylor not involved, Tom McCready came in at right-back and featured alongside a central defensive pairing of Christian Ribeiro and the returning Troy Brown. Ryan Harley was back in the starting line-up, and operated along the flank.
City spent a lot of the first period in defensive positions, with Tom Nichols finding himself in the defensive third a lot more than usual. John Akinde headed one over from Elliott Johnson's cross, and Johnson had a free-kick pushed away by Olejnik, but Tom McCready could have handed the Grecians the lead with a fierce drive that flew narrowly wide.
But Barnet did take the lead shortly after the half-hour. After Josh Clarke crossed from the right, Troy Brown headed into his own net. Tom Nichols went clean through shortly after the opener but couldn't pull the trigger, while Brown almost made amends for his own goal when he headed into the arms of Jamie Stephens.
HALF-TIME: BARNET 1-0 EXETER CITY
With no subs at the break, Barnet extended their lead ten minutes into the second period, shortly after Tom Nichols had gone down in their penalty area. The ball landed kindly for Josh Clarke, whose acceleration took him beyond Danny Butterfield before he fired past Olejnik.
Clinton Morrison instigated a bit of a City fightback after coming on – he laid off for David Wheeler to draw a save from Jamie Stephens, and was involved an a long passing sequence that ended in Ryan Harley shooting over.
Another sub, Luke Gambin, almost wriggled his way through the City defence with two minutes of normal time to go, while Ryan Harley had a free-kick blocked by the wall in injury-time. That was it, City leaving with a 2-0 defeat.
FULL-TIME: BARNET 2-0 EXETER CITY
Attendance: 2,105 (610 away)
Man of the Match: Ryan Harley