Exeter City take credit as they end Wycombe's winning run

Exeter City ended Wycombe Wanderers’ 11 game winning run but couldn’t capitalize on two early goals to claim all three points. The Grecians showed their potential and how they compete with the top teams in League One as they raced into a two goal lead.

Millenic Alli opened the scoring inside 90 seconds when he clipped home a lovely finish after he was found from a cross. Jack McMillan doubled the lead after 21 minutes when he was alive and reacted quickest to poke home from a yard out after Tristan Crama’s header from a corner hit the post.

But the Chairboys showed why they are the League One pacesetters and hit back. Firstly Joe Low rose highest from a corner of their own to make it 2-1 almost straight. And when Cam Humphreys swept home a sumptuous finish early in the second half, Wycombe looked like they would go on to win.

Both sides pushed for a winner, but neither could find one and had to settle for a point each Wycombe stayed top and went four points clear, while City remained 11 ^th,, however it is now just one win in seven in League One.

“We always knew how difficult a game it would be,” City manager Gary Caldwell said. “We started the game incredibly well and that is the potential this team has, the quality we played with, the goals we scored, the chances we created.

“I have seen Wycombe go to Stockport and annihilate them in the first 15 minutes and we did the same to them. But I said at 2-0 this game ain't over, they are a good team, physical, had bigger strong players. It was a brilliant game of football, fair result in the end and we have to take credit to get something against a team that won 11 in a row. Now we have to go and win the next game to make it a brilliant point.

“We went aggressive, in possession were brave, could have scored more goals, and we had a real momentum, but they were always going to have a period where they dominated. We became a bit passive, conceded a poor goal from our point of view, but we finished well and an even game. We take a point against a side that has won 11 games in a row and move onto Saturday.”

Following the 2-0 win over Chesterfield in the FA Cup on Saturday, Caldwell made two changes to the exeter -city-fc>Exeter City starting line-up. In came Jack Fitzwater for only his second League One start of the season and Kevin McDonald for his first start since March. Out dropped Pierce Sweeney who failed a late fitness test, while Ryan Woods who was suspended after a fifth yellow card of the season. Josh Magennis captained the side. Wycombe made 11 changes, with former Grecians Alex Hartridge and David Wheeler not involved.

City started fast and inside 90 seconds, the Grecians took the lead. Fitzwater danced down the right and whipped in a cross from the byline. Magennis had a stab at it, before the ball broke to Alli. He took a touch and lifted the finish beautifully over Franco Ravizzoli to make it 1-0, with his first league goal since August.

It was all Exeter with a series of corners as they looked to pile the pressure on, and in the 21 ^st minute, City got a second goal that their early dominance deserved. Jake Richards and Alli combined initially to win a corner on the left. McDonald swung the teasing inswing ball in, Crama rose highest at the back post to head it down. His header came back off the post, but McMillan was quickest to react, poking the ball home from no more than a yard out for his first goal since his summer signing and a first in 12 months.

Wycombe had offered nothing going forward, but from their first real foray forward, they halved the deficit. Luke Leahy down the left won a corner, Aaron Morley floated it in, and Low rose highest to power the header home from six yards. It was the 22nd game in a row the Chairboys had scored in.

Matt Bloomfield’s men had sprung into life and were looking dangerous, and just before half-time, Richard Kone fluffed a good chance to level. But in the 54 ^th minute, they did, and it had been coming. Daniel Harvie pulled the ball back and from the edge of the area, Humphreys curled home a sumptuous finish into the far corner with his left foot to make it 2-2.

Caldwell’s men just couldn’t hold onto the ball and were camped in their own half for much of the second period, as Daniel Udah then nodded wide from a free-kick. But both sides were pushing for a winner, and Ed Francis saw a free-kick whistle onto the roof of the net.

Brandon Hanlan had a good shout for a penalty when he seemed to be bundled over in the box waved away by referee James Durkin, whose decision making was becoming increasingly random and spoiling the game as a contest. Into the 90 ^th minute we went and Wycombe nearly snatched it. A long throw was launched into the box, it found Udah on the turn, but Whitworth made a brilliant save to earn City a point.

“Man for man they are a foot and a half bigger than us,” Caldwell said of Wycombe and the first goal they scored which changed the game as a contest. “We can do our jobs better, mistakes made in the goal, and we scored from a set piece as well, but we have to get better at it, but when a team is bigger, it is always a challenge. The challenge to the players, don’t concede the corner. But we take great heart from tonight against a team in amazing form.£

Exeter City are back in action away to Stockport County on Saturday.