Exeter City 0 Lincoln City 0 - Grecians stretch unbeaten run in cagey draw

Exeter City and Lincoln City kept their unbeaten runs going as they played out a cagey 0-0 draw in front of the Sky TV cameras. Chances were at a premium for both sides with defences on top as it finished all square.

A fairly even first half saw both sides probe without creating any real clear cut chances. Ryan Woods fired over for Exeter, while Jack Moylan saw a free-kick for Lincoln brilliantly kept out.

Moylan and Ben House came close after the break as the Imps came closest to opening the scoring. They should have won it through Jovon Makama, but when clean through he blazed over.

Woods was sent off in the dying stages for a second booking, but neither side could find a winner. The point saw Lincoln stretch their unbeaten run to six as they rose to fourth 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.

Following the 1-0 win over Charlton Athletic last Saturday, Exeter City manager Gary 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.

With Kamari Doyle also on international duty with England U20s – and having been called-up a day after the Grecians could have had the game postponed – there were spots on the bench for Amani Richards, returning from injury, as well as Jake Richards. Reece Cole was still out with illness.

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. Moylan tested Joe Whitworth with a dipping strike with the Imps’ first effort, before slashing over after a free-flowing counter-attack.

Exeter were controlling the game and probing the Lincoln backline, with Watts and Harper causing trouble, if not quite managing to find the end product, Watts just letting the ball run over the byline after dancing into the area, before Woods lashed over from just inside the box. But it was the visitors who midway through the first half 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.

Michael Skubula’s men came close again just before the break again from a set piece. Sean Roughan’s whipped effort was punched away to Dom Jefferies, and his follow-up strike went inches wide of the post. Caldwell’s side continued to threaten, but Aitchison after a swift break, saw his strike blocked by a defender, as Watts couldn’t convert the follow-up, as it went in 0-0 at half-time.

Ethan Erhahon replaced an injured Paudie O’Connor at half-time, while Caldwell sent the same eleven back out. The Imps had the first chance of the second half when a corner found Lewis Montsma, but his header was easily saved. House then tested Whitworth from 15 yards as the visitors came out quicker and were in control. Caldwell responded by replacing Watts and Harper with Jay Bird and Demi Mitchell, the latter seeing a shot deflected wide after a well-worked move in his first involvement.

Woods picked up a fifth booking of the season for a late lunge on Conor McGrandles and as a result will miss the trip to Wrexham next week. 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.

Lincoln were pushing with Moylan seeing a pair of efforts deflected wide, before House headed onto the roof of the net from close range with Whitworth beaten after Jefferies fired the ball across goal. At the other end, Mitchell saw a shot after a corner was half-cleared blocked.

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. David Perkins was then sent off after he tried to stop a throw-in being taken quickly.

Into stoppage time we went, but City did so with ten men 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. Jack McMillan nearly won it late on, but his effort was saved, as the game ended goalless.

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

Exeter City: (4-4-2) - Joe Whitworth, Jack McMillan, Pierce Sweeney, Tristan Crama, Ben Purrington, Caleb Watts (Jay Bird, 56), Ryan Woods, Ed Francis, Vincent Harper (Demi Mitchell, 56), Jack Aitchison (Jack Fitzwater, 90), Millenic Alli.

Subs: Shaun MacDonald, Jake Richards, Amani Richards, Sonny Cox

Booking: Woods, Sweeney

Sending off: Woods