REPORT BY IAN EVANS
"Welcome to Exeter St Davids" is how I was greeted by a voice on Saturday May 6th 2000 - I was very merry after five and a half hours of drinking on the train and wondering what the future held for my beloved Shrewsbury Town. That was then though, the computer generated voice seems alot more friendly and we are pushing for the Play-Offs! The sun was out and I'd had a few drinks on the way down I thought I had gone back in time - I must stop drinking!
The sun was still shining at three o'clock, and Exeter start quickly. They forced several corners which were delt with by Redmile, Heathcote, Wilding and Rioch, but for a few minutes it was heart in mouth time.
Salops first chance came moments later when Lormor ran from left to right in the penalty area, his run seemed to be halted by the leg of an Exeter defender, but the protests were waved away by Referee Prenton.
We took the lead in the 17th minute through a Luke Rodgers header which is his 21st goal of the season. Despite being the smallest man on the pitch he connected superbly with a Peter Wilding cross from the right (after a good ball and run from Sammy Aiston) and placed a well-directed header into the roof of the net.
The rest of the half was a non event, Dunbavin wasn't called into too much action, only on one occasion did he have to take action when he ran out of his area to head a ball away from Roberts. The game fizzed into life in the second half with three goals in seven minutes.
On 58 minutes Graham Thomlinson scored with a glancing header from Martin Barlow's cross from the right, after Rioch was disposesed and outpaced by the former Plymouth Midfielder.
Just four minutes later we took the lead again through Redmile when the ball was only half cleared from a Ian Woan corner. Woan picked the ball back up on the left and hit in a near post ball which Roscoe Swung at but missed. The ball fell to lormor who shielded the ball to Redmile who hit his now famous 'Redmile Rocket' from 6-yards, nearly ripping the net out!
The Exeter equaliser came on 65 minutes through Andy Roscoe. Roberts sent a low cross in from the right after seeing Roscoe 25/30 yards out, he took one touch and let fly with a shot into the bottom corner of the net leaving Dunbavin (who didn't seem to be able to see the ball because of all the bodies infront of it) stranded
Both teams went looking for a winner with Lowe (who had replaced Lormor) coming closest when he recieved the ball from Woan who had beat two defenders, Lowe placed the ball under Van Heusden who watched the ball rolling slowly towards the gapping net, the ball seemed to bobble and the follow the slight dip (away from goal) of the six yard box and past the wrong side of the post. , with most of the Salop fans already celebrating! DOH!
The sun was still shining at three o'clock, and Exeter start quickly. They forced several corners which were delt with by Redmile, Heathcote, Wilding and Rioch, but for a few minutes it was heart in mouth time.
Salops first chance came moments later when Lormor ran from left to right in the penalty area, his run seemed to be halted by the leg of an Exeter defender, but the protests were waved away by Referee Prenton.
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The rest of the half was a non event, Dunbavin wasn't called into too much action, only on one occasion did he have to take action when he ran out of his area to head a ball away from Roberts. The game fizzed into life in the second half with three goals in seven minutes.
On 58 minutes Graham Thomlinson scored with a glancing header from Martin Barlow's cross from the right, after Rioch was disposesed and outpaced by the former Plymouth Midfielder.
Just four minutes later we took the lead again through Redmile when the ball was only half cleared from a Ian Woan corner. Woan picked the ball back up on the left and hit in a near post ball which Roscoe Swung at but missed. The ball fell to lormor who shielded the ball to Redmile who hit his now famous 'Redmile Rocket' from 6-yards, nearly ripping the net out!
The Exeter equaliser came on 65 minutes through Andy Roscoe. Roberts sent a low cross in from the right after seeing Roscoe 25/30 yards out, he took one touch and let fly with a shot into the bottom corner of the net leaving Dunbavin (who didn't seem to be able to see the ball because of all the bodies infront of it) stranded
Both teams went looking for a winner with Lowe (who had replaced Lormor) coming closest when he recieved the ball from Woan who had beat two defenders, Lowe placed the ball under Van Heusden who watched the ball rolling slowly towards the gapping net, the ball seemed to bobble and the follow the slight dip (away from goal) of the six yard box and past the wrong side of the post. , with most of the Salop fans already celebrating! DOH!