Exeter City beat Mansfield to continue unbeaten run

Matt Jay scores 8th goal of season in 2-1 win

Exeter City celebrate their 400^th game in the Football League with a hard-fought 2-1 victory against League Two strugglers Mansfield Town.

The win, city’s second of the week, extends their impressive unbeaten run to 15 games. It also lifts them to fourth place in the table, thanks to goals from Matt Jay and Tim Dieng.

City manager Matt Taylor made three changes from last time out; Dieng, Daniel and Edwards all returned to the starting 11.

Although the Grecians dominated possession early on, they only managed one shot on target inside a lacklustre first half.

City’s top goal scorer Matt Jay burst into the area well, but his tame effort at goal was saved well by the keeper.

The visitors didn’t have any joy going forward either, they also created just the one shot on target, that Dawson comfortably stopped from close range. It ended goalless at the break.

A much better start to the second half nearly saw Exeter take the lead, Jay cut inside the box well before curling an effort at goal – but the keeper pulled off a superb save diving to his left.

Moments later, however, Mansfield took the lead against the run of play. Oli Hawkins headed home an in-swinging free kick.

Less than 15 minutes later, the Grecians found a deserved equalizer. City were applying all the pressure before Jay whipped in a dangerous cross for Dieng – who headed the ball into the far corner.

Exeter continued to impress in the second half - and for the first time in the contest, they took the lead with ten minutes to play. Jay headed home a cross to convert his 8^th goal of the season.

Exeter did well to close the game out and bag all three points. It ended: Exeter City 2 Mansfield Town 1

Up next, City travel to Salford on Saturday.