Exeter City 1 Reading 2 - Grecians rue poor start as unbeaten run ends

Exeter City saw their six game unbeaten run come to a disappointing end as they couldn’t recover from a poor start in a 2-1 home defeat at St James Park to Reading. Behind inside the opening minutes, the Grecians left themselves too much to do despite a stirring second half effort.

City found themselves facing the worst possible start when they fell behind inside the opening minute. Johnly Yfeko gave the ball away, it was worked to Jayden Wareham, and he slotted the finish home nicely into the far corner. The Royals doubled the lead just before half-time when a shot was only half cleared into the path of Michael Craig, who fired the rebound into the net to make it 2-0.

Ilmari Niskanen’s first goal for the Grecians halved the deficit early in the second half as City were much improved. They threw the cavalry at the Royals, and the Finn rattled the post, and headed over from point-blank range.

But City couldn’t find the equalizer and were left to rue their poor start as they slipped to a first defeat in seven. The loss dropped them down to sixth in the League One table, while the Royals with victory rose to seventh, behind City on goal difference.

Following the 2-0 win at Shrewsbury Town on Thursday night, exeter-city-fc>Exeter City manager Gary Caldwell made two changes to the starting line-up. In came Jack Aitchison after his impressive cameo off the bench, while Mustapha Carayol was given a first League One table for the club. Kamari Doyle and Millenic Alli dropped to the bench, where there was no Amani Richards who was out injured.

City had kept six clean sheets in a row, and had they avoided conceding for 58 minutes they would have kept a new club record. Instead after 58 seconds, they were behind. Yfeko gave the ball away on the edge of the box to Harvey Knibbs. He picked out Wareham, making his first start of the season, who turned Tristan Crama, and then rolled the ball into the corner of the net. It was a nightmare start.

The Grecians were sloppy to start with and couldn’t gain any foothold in the opening moments, and when they had half a chance to break, Carayol couldn’t pick out the run of Aitchison. Then the Scot would have picked out Jack McMillan, but he was on his heels and couldn’t get a shot away. At the other end, Joe Whitworth and Crama combined to give the ball away inside the area, but thankfully they scrambled the ball clear.

But the Grecians kept giving it away, and after a defender was robbed, Kelkon Ehibhatiomhan's shot was deflected over. The corner was only half cleared to Tyler Bindo who struck it from distance well but straight at Whitworth.

It was half chances at best for Caldwell’s men. Niskanen couldn’t quite sneak in around the back to get to a Carayol cross, Sonny Cox couldn’t get to a cross from the Finn, Aitchison dragged an effort from distance wide. When Ruben Selles’ men broke, they did with pace, and only a Yfeko goalline clearance stopped it being two.

But with the next move, it was two. Lewis Wing’s shot was blocked, but the City defence seemed to switch off, as Craig fired home the rebound past the despairing Whitworth. Ten minutes before the break, it was 2-0, and Exeter had a mountain to climb, which wasn’t helped by the Grecians squandering attacking opportunities by being too slow to react.

Unsurprisingly Caldwell made changes at half-time, with Cox, who was again ineffective, and Carayol replaced by Alli and Josh Magennis coming on. But the Royals could have gone three up when an Ed Francis mistake saw the ball fall to Charlie Savage, but his strike was saved.

There was a renewed energy behind City though and they fashioned their best chance. Alli drove down the right and whipped in a cross. It was met by an onrushing Niskanen but he scuffed the finish into the ground and Joel Pereira made the save. Yfeko then headed wide from a corner, before Doyle replaced Francis.

And just before the hour, City got one back, and it had been coming. A nice move down the right saw McMillan fizz in a teasing low cross. It evaded everyone bar Niskanen who arrived at the far post to smash home. It was his first goal for the Grecians and a first for since April 2023.

City were suddenly purring and the chances were flowing. Alli saw a shot saved, and then when Woods picked out McMillan, the Scot dragged his finish inches wide, as then did Doyle, before a mazy run by Alli saw Pereira deny the Irishman.

It was all City and only the woodwork stopped them levelling. Woods set Niskanen free, he drove forward, cut inside, and beat Pereira with the curling finish, but it rattled the inside of the post, and Doyle couldn’t tuck away the rebound. All the chances were falling to the wing-back as after Doyle teased in a delightful cross, from point blank range, he headed over the bar.

Jay Bird replaced Woods as Caldwell went for the equaliser, but only four minutes of stoppage time were added-on. The first of them saw Yfeko head wide, Crama then saw a shot deflected, before Magennis was denied. Time ran out for City who couldn't draw level and were beaten 2-1.

Exeter City are back in action on Saturday when they travel to Huddersfield Town.

Exeter City: (4-4-2) Joe Whitworth, Jack McMillan, Pierce Sweeney, Tristan Crama, Johnly Yfeko, Ilmari Niskanen, Ryan Woods (Jay Bird, 85), Ed Francis (Kamari Doyle, 55), Mustapha Carayol (Millenic Alli, 45), Jack Aitchison, Sonny Cox (Josh Magennis, 45)

Subs: Shaun MacDonald, Ben Purrington, Jack Fitzwater,