City concede last minute goal to lose scintillating affair

Match Report: Exeter City 0- 1 Barnsley FC

 
On 88 minutes, St James Park was quiet with tension as the two sides scrapped away in search of a winner which they both deserved. On 89’ the small minority in the away end had exploded with noise and relief as John McAtee finally took a chance after an enthralling end-to-end game. 

Exeter fans and players alike will be heartbroken after having had victory snatched from them in a match in which they were brave and tireless and could easily have won. 
 
 The match started quickly, with chances for both sides. Reece Cole scuffed a free kick wide of the left post after Demi Mitchel was struck in the face whilst going up for a header. Seconds later his namesake Devante had his heels clipped in the box by Exeter’s Kenyan-international-to-be Vincent Harper but Barnsley saw their penalty appeals waved away by referee Scott Jackson.
 
City keeper Viljami Sinsalo tipped a cross-come-shot over the crossbar before saving a deflected header comfortably from the following corner. The game's end-to-end nature continued, more down to individual errors from both sides than anything else. 
 
Barnsley assumed control of the play as the half went on, managing to put a few passes together at the back, but they failed to create chances that and gifted City more than one chance via more mistakes from the defence. 
 
Exeter’s winger Demetri Mitchell found himself in behind the Tykes defence after failing to deal with a looping ball from Alex Hartridge, but couldn’t convert from a tight, having after skipping past Barnsley keeper Liam Roberts.  Exeter had been pressing Roberts relentlessly and was almost rewarded when Jack Aitchison blocked a pass on the edge of the box which spun over the bar.

Exeter came close to starting the second half with a golden chance. Jack Aitchison should have played Vincent Harper in behind, but either the fierce October sun, his fringe, or an unfortunate combination of the two impeded his vision and he could only stoop forward with his hands over his eyes as the ball rolled behind him.
 
The home side were by far on top after the break and, unlike Barnsley during their period of dominance in the first half, they kept the ball well and created several chances. Centre-back Alex Hartridge had a shot blocked following his long throw before Demetri Mitchell placed a free header wide after Vincent Harper’s floating cross. City got closer and closer to making the breakthrough, and Demitri Mitchell came close again, cracking a shot against the post with the outside of his right foot. Vincent Harper picked up the rebound in front of an all-but-open goal, but his touch was heavy and Barnsley escaped with a goal kick. 
 
This proved to be something of a wake-up call for the away side, who immediately had chances as DC headed wide a Nicky Cadden cross was met with a diving header block from Grecian captain Will Aimson who sent the ball narrowly over his bar. 
 
The game's open nature was such that both sides clearly fancied their chances to win, and instead of slowing down and playing for the draw, they ramped up their efforts as the 90th minute came closer. Ex-Argyle striker Sam Cosgrove scuffed a shot into Sinsalo’s midriff and Yanic Wildschut was in on goal before being flagged offside.

With the game hanging on a knife edge, it was Barnsley who finally took a chance, John McAtee heading home a cross from deep after a counterattack. 
 
The fans who streamed out of the Big Bank in disappointment missed Demitri Mitchel hitting the post with a carbon copy of his earlier header as Exeter tried and failed to find a last-minute winner.