Exeter City 3-1 Bristol City
James Healey reports from St James' Park

City again suffered a pre-season loss, this time at the hands of League One side Exeter City.

Former City player and Bristolian Ryan Harley was the star for Exeter scoring two. The home side's third came from summer signing Daniel Nardiello shortly after John Akinde had pulled a goal back for City.

City didn't have the best of preparations for the game - only arriving at St James' Park 30 minutes before kick-off due to a nasty accident on M5.

The game started brightly with Akinde and David Clarkson looking lively in the City attack causing the Exeter back three some early problems.

Exeter were forced into making an early sub after 25 minutes when former City striker Marcus Stewart came on to replace the injured Richard Logan.

Two-goal Ryan Harley, the ex-City midfielder, was the star

The hosts took the lead after 34 minutes from the penalty spot. Ex-Barnsley striker Nardiello was put through by Golbourne only to be fouled by winger Jamal Campbell-Ryce when about to shoot. Harley fired straight down the middle and found the net despite a glove from Stephen Henderson grazing the ball.

City looked for an early reply and came close five minutes later when Akinde picked up a loose ball 25 yards out. He beat two Exeter defenders and beat the diving Paul Jones, only to see his shot rebound off the upright to safety.

Harley doubled the home side's lead after 44 minutes with a neat left-footed finish. Jake Thomson ran at the City defence down the right-wing and played a neat cross to Harley who made no mistake from 12 yards out.

At the half-time break manager Steve Coppell made four changes with Joe Edwards, Kalife Cisse, Tom Williams and Albert Adomah replacing Cole Skuse, Lewin Nyatanga, Marvin Elliott and Jamal Campbell-Ryce.

City moved to a different formation of 3-5-2 with Edwards and Tom Williams playing as wing-backs. The change seemed to kick City into life with two chances in the first ten minutes of the second half. First Tom Williams chested the ball down and struck a 25-yard shot only to see it hit the foot of the post.

Clarkson was the next City player to hit the Exeter woodwork. He struck an unstoppable effort from 25 yards and rattled the top of the crossbar.

City did reduce the deficit on 61 minutes following a sustained spell of pressure. Clarkson played a neat through ball to Akinde who made no mistake, sliding the ball past Jones in the Exeter goal.

Sub Albert Adomah tricks his way beyond Ryan Harley

Exeter restored their two-goal advantage less than two minutes later though, when the impressive Nardiello wriggled his way through the City defence to angle a shot low inside Henderson's near post.

Trailist Charlie Taylor had the perfect opportunity to pull a goal back for City after 71 minutes. Substitute Adomah, who was causing Exeter a few problems with his tricky runs, made an inch-perfect cross on to Taylor's head only to see the ex-Grays Athletic striker head wide from just five yards.

Exeter nearly snatched a fourth goal with the last kick of the game when substitute Jamie Norwood struck a fierce shot from 30 yards. The ball beat a diving Henderson but flashed back off the post and away to safety.

Next stop for City is the short trip down the A37 to play Terry Skiverton's Yeovil Town.

City: Henderson; Skuse (Edwards 46), Fontaine, Nyatanga (T. Williams 46), McAllister; Campbell-Ryce (Adomah 46), Elliott (Cisse 46), Johnson, G. Williams, Clarkson (Taylor 64), Akinde (Jackson 64). Unused subs: Gerken, Sproule, Ball.

Att: 2,791

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