DEVON DERBY Torquay United 1 Exeter City 3

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Created on Sunday, 29 December 2013 18:53

Last Updated on Monday, 30 December 2013 08:30

Published on Friday, 27 December 2013 07:53

Exeter City boss Paul Tisdale hailed his young League Two side for weathering an early storm to win the last Devon derby of 2013.

Tisdale said: "We were made to work for it and had to weather an early storm. I thought we were too open in the first quarter of the match so we adjusted at half time to stop their flow and from then on it went our way."

City's outstanding Polish keeper Artur Krysiak saved Torquay United's eighth minute penalty from Karl Hawley before 20-year-old Exeter striker Tom Nichols smashed home an unstoppable 25 yard shot on the run to turn the game on its head in the 39th minute.

David Wheeler winged in from the left to make it 2-0 following a defence-splitting solo run on the hour before Hawley converted substitute Elliot Benyon's cross to make it 2-1 in the 74th to tee up a frenetic finale.

Impressive Alan Gow put the result beyond doubt in the 85th minute as he broke through the home defence, shrugging off an Anthony O'Connor challenge, before calmly beating keeper Michael Poke with a clinical strike.

Tisdale said: "After half-time the game evened out. We dealt with the barrage a bit more and then we started to impose ourselves. It was a really good game of football.

"I thought at 2-0 we were more likely to score a third but they got one back and the game opened up. We then got the third which saw us home.

"It was a good experience for the players of how to stay in games when you are getting battered like we were in the first half an hour. We will really benefit from that. We needed the win and this is a big boost for us. It keeps us going in the right direction.

"Tom couldn't find the key last year but it looks like the penny has dropped. He is another one coming through. He is in that kind of form and he is playing with real confidence. You just knew he was going to hit it... and what a strike."

Torquay boss Alan Knill said: "I thought in the first half that was the best we have played. You just have to take your chances.

"Obviously Nichols hits a great shot and we go in 1-0 down at half time. Even then you think don't panic just keep doing the same thing. We did and then we go 2-0 down, so we had to change.

"We throw on another striker, get the goal and think 'here we go, we are going to make it a draw' and then get done with the third.

"When Karl missed the penalty I didn't think it affected us as a team, we just carried on doing what we were doing, moving the ball around the pitch and creating a lot of chances. You just get on with it.

"We came into this game with seven points from three matches and if we can take something at Plymouth on Wednesday it will still be a good month for us."

Attendance 4231 (1255 away)

SWSN stars Exeter City Artur Krysiak Torquay United Billy Bodin

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