Exeter City earn valiant point in goalless draw in front of Sky TV cameras

Exeter City and Lincoln City played out a goalless draw with Grecians manager Gary Caldwell joked may have seen plenty of Sky TV subscriptions cancelled. The lunchtime clash in front of the cameras never sprung into life as defences were on top as it finished 0-0.

On a day where the five League One games saw a combined three goals between them, the two City’s at St James Park struggled to find a cutting edge to break the deadlock. The Imps had the better of the chances as the game wore on, with Jack Moylan a constant threat, before Jovon Makama blazed over when one-on-one.

The Grecians saw Ryan Woods sent off in stoppage-time for a second booking as he tried to stop a quick counter-account – having already seen coach David Perkins sent off. Ultimately though the draw was the fair result, especially with Exeter without three key players, away on international duty, but they were not allowed to call the game off as the third of those call-ups came after the EFL’s deadline of last Sunday.

The point saw Lincoln stretch their unbeaten run to six, but they dropped down to sixth in the League One table. The Grecians, now unbeaten in four, rose to ninth as they kept yet another clean sheet, a ninth in 14.

“There may have been some Sky subscriptions cancelled,” Caldwell said. “It was a difficult game and a poor game in quality.

“At home, we always look to win and that is always our intention at the start of a game but I think, the longer the game went on, to make changes to try and win it was a risk.

“We always had to guard against their physicality and their size, any changes we made may have made us smaller and we will look at that as a staff and see if we got it right, but I felt it was a game where, in the end, we had to take the point.

“I always want more and I hope the players are disappointed, which they seemed to be – and that is a good place to be – but I think we will all wake up tomorrow morning and be happy with a point and another clean sheet, that is a fantastic foundation to our game.”

“We can look at areas where we can be better and go to Wrexham next week with a full squad, which will make us stronger and better, and try and get the win there.”

Following the 1-0 win over Charlton Athletic last Saturday, Caldwell made two enforced changes to the starting line-up. With Josh Magennis and Ilmari Niskanen on international duty with Northern Ireland and Finland, the duo were replaced by Caleb Watts and Vincent Harper, the former making a first League One start of the season, the latter his first since the opening day.

The Grecians started brightly and had the first chance after Jack Aitchison was fouled on the edge of the box, but Ed Francis curled the free-kick over the crossbar. Woods fired over from the edge of the box after a good move, while for Lincoln, Moylan tested Joe Whitworth with a dipping strike with the Imps’ first effort, before slashing over after a free-flowing counter-attack.

Midway through the first half the visitors nearly broke the deadlock. Moylan’s free-kick from an angle was whipped in dangerously and Whitworth had to make an outstanding one handed save to keep it out, and to push it away from the lurking Ben House who would have had a tap in.

Woods picked up a fifth booking of the season for a late lunge on Conor McGrandles, which would have seen him suspended next week. And the experienced man though could have been sent off moments later after kicking the ball away, but somehow referee Thomas Parsons didn’t show him a second booking.

The Imps had the best chance to win it when they broke through Ethan Hamilton. He picked out substitute Makama, who was one on one, but he contrived to blaze the finish over the crossbar.

Perkins was then sent off after he tried to stop a throw-in being taken quickly, before City were reduced to ten men on the pitch after Woods was shown a second yellow and then a red card as he brought down McGrandles to stop a quick counter-attack after a corner was cleared.

“It was a crazy corner to put him in the situation and we only have ourselves to blame,” Caldwell said of the red card. “He will miss a game and up to the squad to replace him and help us win the game next week.”

Of the absences due to international duty, Caldwell said: “It is like Man City without Haaland, Salah for Liverpool, Josh is a phenomenal player for us and when we miss him we will struggle, and others have to push Josh more and say we want your jersey.

“Any team missing big players will struggle, the squad we believe in it but these are big players which are hard to replace. Everyone can be proud of the clean sheet but we are an honest group and we can be better. I thought the efforts were excellent and gave all they had.”

Exeter City are back in action on Saturday when they travel to Wrexham, when the international trio will be back.