Exeter tighten their grip on automatic promotion place after Stevenage victory

Posted Sunday, February 09, 2020 by PA

Exeter took advantage of the teams around them dropping points at the top of Sky Bet League Two with a 2-1 win over bottom club Stevenage at St James Park.

Substitute Matt Jay was the hero, scoring the winner with nine minutes remaining in a match where the result was far more comfortable than the scoreline suggests.

It took until the 37th minute for the deadlock to be broken as Randell Williams planted a bullet header past Paul Farman from Pierce Sweeney’s excellent cross.

Nicky Ajose came close to making it 2-0 when he latched onto Williams’ ball over the top, but his attempted lob went just the wrong side of the upright.

Stevenage responded with a shot from Canice Carroll that flew wide of goal – their first effort of note coming on the hour-mark – while Ryan Bowman struck the post for Exeter after a superb move.

The Grecians got stronger as the game went on, but could not finish the opportunities they were creating and were made to pay with 10 minutes remaining when Sweeney was robbed of the ball and it was played to Daniel Kemp to lash home.

Exeter hit straight back, though, as Nicky Ajose poked the ball back to Jay and he picked his spot to make it 2-1 from close range for the winner in the 81st-minute.