Exeter City 3-1 Plymouth Argyle

Late goals from Alan Gow and Scot Bennett secured a deserved three points for Exeter City in a hard-fought Devon derby against Plymouth.

Exeter had the best of the first half and had a penalty appeal rejected when Hamza Bencherif appeared to handle.

The Grecians took the lead when Aaron Davis slotted home Gow's fine pass.

Luke Young's superb free-kick looked to have secured a draw but Gow capitalised on poor defending to curl home and Bennett slotted from close range.

Young's goal for the visitors was Argyle's first in nearly six hours of football this season.

VIEW FROM THE DRESSING ROOM

Exeter City boss Paul Tisdale told BBC Radio Devon:

"I'm very proud of the players and very pleased with the win - it was a really good game.

"For the second week running, we could have had a penalty but didn't and you have to believe that over the course of the season you'll get them.

"As for the free-kick (for Plymouth's goal), I'm not going to complain. I can see why he gave it and it was a brilliant free-kick.

"It would have been very easy to try to hold on but we made an offensive change and gave us a chance to get back in the game."

Plymouth Argyle boss John Sheridan told BBC Radio Devon:

"The result is very hard to take, I thought we played well and we were well in the game throughout.

"We looked very confident and were passing it well and were causing them problems - then we shot ourselves in the foot and for the last five or 10 minutes we were all over the place.

"It wasn't a 3-1 game. For 80 minutes we put on a good performance but at the end of the day we've lost again - sometimes I'd rather come and play poorly and get something from the game."

Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text

Line-ups

Exeter

Formation 4-4-2

1Krysiak
3Woodman
2Butterfield
5Baldwin
6ColesBooked at 68mins
14DohertySubstituted forKeohaneat 74'minutes
11Davies
32WheelerSubstituted forOakleyat 45'minutesSubstituted forGrimesat 53'minutes
7Sercombe
10Gow
4Bennett

Substitutes

30Pym
22Keohane
18Reid
8Oakley
15Moore-Taylor
29Grimes
26Tillson

Plymouth

Formation 4-4-2

23McCormick
5Branston
28Reckord
15Wotton
17Nelson
8Boco
20BencherifSubstituted forYoungat 62'minutes
7AlessandraSubstituted forHarveyat 88'minutes
6Hourihane
19HayesSubstituted forReidat 61'minutes
10Morgan

Substitutes

4Blanchard
18Harvey
2Berry
14Young
9Reid
1Cole
16Trotman

Referee:: Andre Marriner
Attendance:: 5,700

Match Stats

Home TeamExeterAway TeamPlymouth

Possession: Home50%; Away50%

Shots: Home12; Away10

Shots on Target: Home6; Away6

Corners: Home7; Away2

Fouls: Home5; Away7

Live Text

Post update
Match ends, Exeter City 3, Plymouth Argyle 1.
90'+4'
Full Time
Second Half ends, Exeter City 3, Plymouth Argyle 1.

90'+3'
Goal!
Goal! Exeter City 3, Plymouth Argyle 1. Scott Bennett (Exeter City) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Alan Gow.
90'+2'
Post update
Scott Bennett (Exeter City) hits the left post with a right footed shot from the right side of the box.
88'
Substitution
Substitution, Plymouth Argyle. Tyler Harvey replaces Lewis Alessandra.
87'
Post update
Corner, Exeter City. Conceded by Luke McCormick.
87'
Post update
Attempt saved. Scott Bennett (Exeter City) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
85'
Post update
Danny Butterfield (Exeter City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
85'
Post update
Foul by Marvin Morgan (Plymouth Argyle).
83'
Goal!
Goal! Exeter City 2, Plymouth Argyle 1. Alan Gow (Exeter City) left footed shot from the right side of the box to the top right corner.
83'
Post update
Attempt saved. Guy Branston (Plymouth Argyle) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
82'
Post update
Corner, Plymouth Argyle. Conceded by Artur Krysiak.
82'
Post update
Attempt saved. Reuben Reid (Plymouth Argyle) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
81'
Post update
Attempt missed. Lewis Alessandra (Plymouth Argyle) header from the centre of the box misses to the left.
79'
Post update
Attempt missed. Matt Grimes (Exeter City) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right.
78'
Post update
Attempt missed. Matt Grimes (Exeter City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left.
74'
Substitution
Substitution, Exeter City. Jimmy Keohane replaces Tommy Doherty.
71'
Post update
Corner, Plymouth Argyle. Conceded by Artur Krysiak.
70'
Post update
Attempt saved. Romuald Boco (Plymouth Argyle) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
69'
Goal!
Goal! Exeter City 1, Plymouth Argyle 1. Luke Young (Plymouth Argyle) from a free kick with a right footed shot to the top left corner.

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