City v Sheffield Utd report

A BRAVE Exeter City just missed out on a draw with League 1 Sheffield United in their final pre-season friendly at St James Park before the big kick-off in two week’s time.

The Grecians named a strong-looking line-up for this one, one which looks very like that which may take to the field to begin the 2015/16 League 2 campaign against Yeovil Town.

Blades boss Nigel Adkins, who brought Reading to St James Park for a pre-season fixture one year ago, switched goalkeepers after handing in the teamsheets, with George Long, the former Motherwell loanee, replacing Mark Howard in the starting eleven.

David Wheeler was a man very much in the thick of the action in the opening exchanges, dispossessing United’s Jose Baxter on the edge of the Blades’ penalty area only for a covering visiting defender to clear. The tricky Jamal Campbell-Ryce, who was wearing a shirt so large that he had half of his shirt number tucked into his shorts, switched wings regularly, giving City full-backs Jamie McAllister and Arron Davies plenty to think about.

Wheeler put one over the bar, before the Blades struck to take the lead. Debutant Martyn Woolford put in the corner which Neil Collins headed expertly beyond Bobby Olejnik. Arron Davies delivered a special pass for Lee Holmes to take in his stride before hitting the ball just wide, the Grecians coming close to a quick equaliser.

The closest the Grecians came in the first half was when Tom Nichols curled the ball just beyond George Long’s far post on the half-hour.

HALF-TIME: EXETER CITY 0-1 SHEFFIELD UNITED