United's painful start to 2008 continued this evening with a defeat at Exeter. The U's rarley looked like beating their Setanta TV curse and two goals from Adam Stansfield sealed their fate.
Already down to the bare bones with Barry Quinn, Mickey Corcoran, Yemi Odubade and Adam Murray suspended and Craig McAllister injured United were dealt another blow on the day of the match when Eddie Hutchinson called in ill in the morning. That meant that the team all but picked itself with Danny Rose and Eddie Anaclet coming back on the wings Ben Weedon at left back and Alex Fisher making a first start.
The Yellows had the first chance of the evening when Rose flashed a powerful header wide from an Anaclet cross on three minutes, but then Stansfield lobbed Turley on fifteen and saw his effort drift just wide so it was fairly even stevens as the game opened in cautious fashion. The excellent Foster's battle with the ever elusive Basham was a key one in the game, but the young United back line (with only Foster over 20) was resilient and organised and working well as a unit despite that lack of experience and games played together. The trouble was they were having to work overtime and when Weedon slipped on 25 Foster had to be across in a flash to cover and thwart Carlisle as he ran at goal. Pressure was mounting and four minutes later United's resistance was broken.
A ball in the right channel found Stansfield with his back to goal and Foster immediately behind him. Stansfield turned and powered past Foster and burst into the area to shoot low and true past Turley from ten yards. Turley partially parried the ball but the shot was too strong and found the net to make it 1-0 on 29 minutes.
Seven minutes later and it was 2-0 as Stansfield doubled his tally. Pettefer was caught in midfield and the ball was played up to Basham in that all too familiar spot between the attack and the midfield. Presented with a moving target Basham duly delivered, playing a beautifully weighted ball through for Stansfield who touched the ball round Turley and rolled into the unguarded net.
Two goals down and with as much activity in the Exeter penalty area as Vera Duckworth's armchair, things weren't going well. When Duffy did get on the end of a deep cross on 43 minutes his header was cleared by Taylor right on the line, typical of the way things have been going in recent weeks.
Half time saw Weedon withdrawn and Jeannin given a half against his former club, and then 14 minutes later the hard working Fisher replaced by Declan Benjamin, with United going to 4-3-3 to try and find a way back into a game that was a million miles from the last time they played at Exeter: a 1-0 play-off first leg win which had looked to be ushering in a trip to Wembley and a brave new dawn.
The 4-3-3 did at least cause Exeter problems but Stansfield almost completed his hat-trick on 70 as he knocked the ball only just wide past the onrushing Turley and then Basham lashed the ball against the post on 75 from a tight angle. Turley saved with his feet from Moxey on 78, and the Grecians were the ones creating the chances while United's increased effort in the second period wasn't bearing buds, let along fruit, in front of goal.
Credit where it's due, Exeter were deserved winners and United second best.
Report Chris Williams
Att: 3,301
Stats by PA Sports
