Nombe double brings City win

Exeter move up to top half of the table

A cold, wet afternoon with two mid-table clubs who don't have any realistic chance of promotion or relegation ended in a City victory by one goal. What could be more stereotypically League One?

 A super Sam Nombe brace was enough to push Exeter past Lincoln in this 2-1 battle. January signing Demetri Mitchell enjoys the plaudits for the second goal though, with a mazy run through the centre, dragging out player after player before playing it through for Nombe to tuck it away tidily in the bottom corner for his 12th of the season.

Lincoln came into this game on the back of a ten-game unbeaten run - although seven of those were draws. Overall, the Imps have drawn 18 of their games this season - that's over 50%. They've also only scored 32 goals in their 34 league matches, the sixth lowest in the division - but their defence is what gets them results.

The City defense will be disappointed by Lincolns goal. A far-post corner punched out weakly by keeper Gary Woods only to the edge of the six-yard box, where captain Regan Poole's looping headerfell perfectly for Paudie O'Connor to pounce and head it into the bottom corner. 

But Lincoln's defense will be even more upset - especially Sean Roughan. He attempted to pass it back to his keeper Carl Rushworth - as he'd done repeatedly so far - but this time Rushworth was nowhere near the ball. He was on the other side of the box, and Sam Nombe turned on the burners to get there before Roughan to tap it into an open net. Somehow this was his first ever goal at the away end of SJP - after 19 in front of the Big Bank. Two big defensive mistakes had made the score one-all, although it really should've been nil-nil.

After scoring one City came alive, and Nombe could've grabbed a five minute hat-trick with the chances he had. The first came from a Josh Key through ball to Nombe - who was evidently offside, but somehow not flagged by the official - who dragged a one-on-one just wide of the post. The second was all down to Demetri Mitchell turning his opposite number inside out, ending up with a nutmeg and a man on the floor to put on the highlight reel. His cross was just too high for Nombe, who's header sailed just over. Exeter really should've been ahead at the break.

Neither team came of out of the blocks particularly well in the second half, but both teams had decent chances. A half-volley from the edge of the box drilled wide following a long throw-in was the best Lincoln could muster, whereas City had shots from both wingers blocked at close range. Exeter definitely had more possession in dangerous areas, but couldn't get that final decisive pass off - until the aforementioned goal on 73 minutes. 

The latter part of the second half was very uneventful - the Grecians expertly guided out the last twenty minutes or so without any stress or challenge - even when Alex Hartridge's second yellow saw him coming off with five left to go the team stayed strong. This win means City leapfrog their opponents, and move up to 11th with nine left to go.

EXETER CITY STARTING 11 -

Woods, Key, Sweeney, Aimson (C), Hartridge (🟥), Mitchell (A), Harper, White, Collins, Stansfield (🟨), Nombe (⚽,⚽)

EXETER CITY SUBSTITUTES -

Blackman*(🟨), Caprice*, Grounds*, Sparkes, Chauke*, Coley, Scott*

LINCOLN CITY STARTING 11 -

Rushworth, Poole (A), Montsma, Jackson, Erhahon, O'Connor (⚽,🟨), House(🟨), Roughan, Virtue, Diamond

LINCOLN CITY SUBSTITUTES -

Sanders, Vernam, Plange*, Bishop*, Shodipo*, Sorenson*, Wright