Exeter City 2 Mansfield Town 0 - Grecians cruise to another victory and climb the table

Exeter City cruised to victory at St James Park over a struggling Mansfield Town side to make it four unbeaten and seemingly put any relegation fears aside. Goals in either half saw the Grecians pick up a second successive 2-0 victory on a night where the margin of victory could have been higher.

The Grecians went ahead with only eight minutes played. Demetri Mitchell pounced after a cross was palmed into the danger zone and he blasted the finish into the roof of the net. He should have won a penalty midway through the half when he was wiped out by the goalkeeper, only for somehow to not be given.

Angus MacDonald though powered home a header from a corner minutes into the second half to give the Grecians that 2-0 lead they had deserved and in complete control. Caleb Watts then saw one effort cleared off the line, another rattle the crossbar, as City created plenty of chances to put the game beyond doubt.

It mattered little though as City made it back-to-back wins and a third successive clean sheet. They rose to 16^th in the League One table, and after a brief relegation worry, are now ten points clear of the bottom four – with a game in hand. Mansfield though are now winless in 14, as they dropped below Exeter, but have an eight point cushion over the drop zone still.

Following the 2-0 win at home to Shrewsbury Town on Saturday, Gary Caldwell made just the one change to his Exeter City side. Jack McMillan, fit again after concussion, returned to the starting line-up, with Watts dropping to the bench, and Vincent Harper not being involved in the squad.

With the first chance of the game, and with seven minutes gone, the Grecians went ahead. A free-kick was only half cleared to Pat Jones. He floated the ball back into the box where Angus MacDonald had peeled away. The defender put a cross in which Scott Flinders could only palm away into the path of Mitchell, and he rifled into the roof of the net. It was a seventh of the season for him, and the perfect start.

The Grecians were on top and threatening, but with their first chance, the Stags came close. A clearance was pounced on by Hiram Boateng, but from 30 yards out, he fired over the bar. Will Evans then saw a deflected effort saved. At the other end, Jones went on a driving run, but couldn’t get enough power on the show which Flinders easily kept out.

Just before the half hour, City should have had a golden chance to double the lead. Josh Magennis flicked the ball on and Mitchell was clean through. The attacker took the ball past Flinders who wiped him out clearly. It was a stone-wall penalty, except referee Paul Howard somehow waved the appeals away – nor saw fit to book him for diving. Replays only serve to show just how bad a decision it was.

The game was briefly halted for an announcement over the tannoy asking fans to stop the ‘unacceptable chanting’. A section of Exeter fans had chanted ‘murderer’ at Mansfield’s Lucas Akins, who had pleaded guilty to causing the death of a cyclist last week. He will be sentenced on April 24.

Jordan Bowery replaced an injured Stephen McLaughlin, and within 30 seconds, he was in the book for a foul on Jones, who was terrorising the backline. City were comfortably on top, but it was only 1-0 at half-time.

Nigel Clough made a second Stags change at half-time, with Jordan Rhodes replacing Caylan Vickers. Caldwell made a change as well, with Watts replacing Jones, in what had to be injury related as the Welshman had been so lively in the first 45.

But within three minutes of the half, Exeter had doubled their lead. Ed Francis floated a corner to the back post, and MacDonald rose highest to power his header home. It was his first for City, and a first goal since April 2024, when he scored in a Scottish Cup semi-final.

City were purring and had Watts and then Mitchell’s touches let them down after well-worked moves. Magennis then had a good chance of his own he was played through. Flinders kept out his effort, but the striker kept it alive and pulled it back to Watts. He looked certain to score, but somehow a goalline clearance kept it out.

On the hour Joel Colwill and Tony Yogane replaced Mitchell and Francis, the latter had just picked up a booking. The Brentford loanee got on the end of a sweeping move with his first involvement, but Flinders got down well to keep the shot out. Ryan Trevitt then picked out Watts with a beautiful crossfield ball, he cut inside and let loose a powerful strike which beat Flinders, but rattled the crossbar.

Ryan Woods replaced McMillan with the next change. Trevitt came close to a third but his effort was blocked. Mansfield were offering next to nothing, and when they did venture forward, MacDonald headed a pair of crosses away. Reece Cole replaced Magennis with the final change.

Aiden Flint fired wide late on as Clough’s men finally created something of note. Alex Hartridge produced a good challenge to deny Rhodes. . Yogane could have added some gloss in stoppage-time on the break, but his shot was saved.

Exeter City are back in action on Saturday when they travel to Rotherham United. Win that, and they could be 14^th.

Exeter City: Joe Whitworth, Ed Turns, Angus MacDonald, Alex Hartridge, Jack McMillan (Ryan Woods, 74), Ryan Trevitt, Ed Francis (Joel Colwill, 61), Ben Purrington, Demetri Mitchell (Tony Yogane 61), Pat Jones (Caleb Watts, 45), Josh Magennis (Reece Cole, 85)

Subs:, Jack Aitchison, Sonny Cox

Booking: Francis