Goalless draw at St James Park

Match Report: Exeter City 0-0 Blackpool

Exeter City and Blackpool took a point each after a goalless draw at St James Park on quite a bleak August afternoon. 

 Both teams came into this match the after winning their opening matches. For the first League One match of the season, at St James Park, it was a sell-out crowd for the home side.

Exeter started relatively well, finding space behind the backline of Blackpool; there were no big chances for either team in the first 15 minutes. Exeter was maintaining most of the possession, and some quality defending from the hosts prevented any looming danger from the Northern side.

After quite a matched first half, the most substantial moment came in stoppage time, as Exeter City forward Jack Aitchison should have scored but was thwarted by Blackpool defender Oliver Norburn who made a last-ditch block.

The halftime score was nil, nil. 

Blackpool stepped their tempo up at the start of the second half and took their first attempt on target. The close-range header from the Blackpool striker was pushed away from Exeter’s goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo.

Both sides were showing higher intensity and the match was very end-to-end following a very dull period. 

Emotions were running high with reckless challenges from either team. Exeter manager Gary Caldwell was given a yellow card again- meaning he has been booked twice in the span of four days. 

Exeter took countless chances throughout the game, but the Grecians just couldn’t execute them. But it should have been Blackpool that won the game in the end, as Exeter’s goalkeeper made an exceptional save to bring the point.