Bristol Rovers secured their first win of the season at Exeter.

David Clarkson gave the visitors the lead after just five minutes when he hooked in from Tom Parkes' long ball.

The Grecians levelled on the stroke of half-time through 37-year-old ex-Rovers striker Jamie Cureton, who slotted in past stranded keeper Neil Etheridge.

Substitute Eliot Richards secured all three points for the Pirates when his soft strike slipped past goalkeeper Artur Krysiak.

Exeter were forced to play the final 10 minutes of the game with 10 men as Scot Bennett was stretchered off the field after manager Paul Tisdale had used all three substitutes.

VIEW FROM THE DRESSING ROOM

Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale told BBC Radio Devon:

"As much as we made two terrible mistakes for the goals we conceded, we can't put all the blame on defenders and goalkeepers. We've had more than our fair share of opportunities to score today and we couldn't take them.

"Our first half really was terrific, I'm hard pressed in my six years here to find a better performance than we did first half today.

"They didn't really have to earn their goals, I would see them as two mistakes by us that they capitalised on.

"I see an effective team with a very strong togetherness with players who can score goals, I wish we scored more today."

Bristol Rovers manager Mark McGhee told BBC Radio Bristol:

"I feel absolutely relieved. Whether we deserved it or not, we won it.

"Somewhere along the line we've deserved to win a game this season.

"We won it by a good individual goal but I'd liked to have seen us win it with a team effort.

"We introduced a couple of new players and I think they did fine and we can build on that."

Lineup, Bookings (5) & Substitutions (6)

Exeter City

  • 01 Krysiak
  • 03 Woodman
  • 04 Bennett Booked
  • 05 Baldwin Booked (Moore-Taylor - 77' )
  • 06 Coles
  • 16 Amankwaah
  • 08 Oakley (Keohane - 76' )
  • 11 Davies
  • 14 Doherty
  • 10 Gow (O'Flynn - 64' )
  • 12 Cureton

Substitutes

  • 24 Evans
  • 02 Tully
  • 37 Moore-Taylor
  • 22 Keohane
  • 34 Cane
  • 19 O'Flynn
  • 21 Bauza

Bristol Rovers

  • 38 Etheridge
  • 05 Kenneth
  • 06 Parks Booked
  • 11 Broghammer Booked (Brown - 58' )
  • 19 Virgo
  • 03 Paterson
  • 08 Gill Booked
  • 15 Norburn
  • 07 Clarkson
  • 27 Riordan (Lund - 73' )
  • 32 Eaves (Richard - 58' )

Substitutes

  • 28 Walker
  • 14 Brown
  • 21 Brown
  • 25 Clucas
  • 26 Lund
  • 10 Richard
  • 16 Anyinsah
Ref: Stroud
Att: 5,054

Match Stats

Shots

8 3

On target

5 2

Corners

6 1

Fouls

10 7

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +3:30

Tommy Doherty takes a shot. Neil Etheridge makes a save.

90:00 +2:37

Tommy Doherty challenges Tom Parkes unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Neil Etheridge.

89:27

Lee Brown fouled by Arron Davies, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Tom Parkes.

88:49

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Craig Woodman by Lee Brown. Free kick taken by Artur Krysiak.

88:38 Full time

Full Time The referee blows for the end of the match.

87:43

Free kick awarded for a foul by Jimmy Keohane on Garry Kenneth. David Clarkson restarts play with the free kick.

78:56

Corner taken by Craig Woodman from the left by-line, Scot Bennett gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Tom Parkes. Neil Etheridge restarts play with the free kick.

78:12 Booking

Booking The referee shows Scot Bennett a yellow card.

77:31

Unfair challenge on Matthew Lund by Scot Bennett results in a free kick. Indirect free kick taken by Garry Kenneth.

75:40 Substitution

Substitution Pat Baldwin leaves the field to be replaced by Jordan Moore-Taylor.

75:40 Substitution

Substitution Matt Oakley leaves the field to be replaced by Jimmy Keohane.

72:25 Substitution

Substitution Derek Riordan goes off and Matthew Lund comes on.

70:46

John O'Flynn takes a shot. Neil Etheridge makes a save.

68:05 Goal scored

Goal - Eliot Richards - Exeter 1 - 2 Bristol R Eliot Richards fires in a goal from just inside the area to the bottom left corner of the goal. Exeter 1-2 Bristol Rovers.

67:40

Inswinging corner taken by Tommy Doherty, Neil Etheridge makes a save.

60:54

Jamie Cureton is ruled offside. Indirect free kick taken by Neil Etheridge.

65:33

Assist by Matt Oakley.

52:25

The assistant referee flags for offside against Tom Eaves. Indirect free kick taken by Danny Coles.

65:33

The assist for the goal came from Matt Oakley.

65:33 Goal scored

Goal - Jamie Cureton - Exeter 1 - 1 Bristol R Jamie Cureton scores a goal from inside the penalty box to the bottom right corner of the goal. Exeter 1-1 Bristol Rovers.

64:24

Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Tommy Doherty played to the near post, save by Neil Etheridge.

63:02 Substitution

Substitution John O'Flynn comes on in place of Alan Gow.

60:54

Jamie Cureton is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Indirect free kick taken by Neil Etheridge.

57:09 Substitution

Substitution Lee Brown comes on in place of Fabian Broghammer.

57:09 Substitution

Substitution Eliot Richards on for Tom Eaves.

57:09 Booking

Booking Pat Baldwin is given a yellow card.

56:00 Booking

Booking The referee shows Fabian Broghammer a yellow card.

55:32

Kevin Amankwaah fouled by Fabian Broghammer, the ref awards a free kick.

52:25

The referee blows for offside against Tom Eaves. Danny Coles restarts play with the free kick.

45:01 Half time

Half Time The referee blows for half time.

43:25

Tom Eaves has an effort at goal from just inside the box that misses to the right of the goal.

37:24

Corner taken short by Arron Davies, Neil Etheridge makes a save. Pat Baldwin challenges Tom Eaves unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Neil Etheridge.

36:29

Alan Gow is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Neil Etheridge restarts play with the free kick.

34:53

Jim Paterson challenges Tommy Doherty unfairly and gives away a free kick. Pat Baldwin takes the free kick.

34:27

Jamie Cureton takes a shot. Save by Neil Etheridge.

32:14

Tommy Doherty concedes a free kick for a foul on Oliver Norburn. Garry Kenneth takes the direct free kick.

32:14

Tommy Doherty gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Oliver Norburn. Garry Kenneth takes the direct free kick.

30:17

Arron Davies takes a inswinging corner to the near post, Header from close range by Danny Coles clears the bar.

29:01

Scot Bennett has shot on goal from just outside the penalty box which goes wide of the right-hand upright.

27:58 Booking

Booking Matt Gill receives a yellow card.

27:25

Matt Gill concedes a free kick for a foul on Alan Gow. Craig Woodman takes the direct free kick.

26:47

Foul by Tommy Doherty on David Clarkson, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Adam Virgo.

23:30

Free kick awarded for a foul by Tom Parkes on Alan Gow. Craig Woodman sends in a cross, Headed effort from inside the area by Pat Baldwin misses to the left of the target.

23:00 Booking

Booking The referee shows Tom Parkes a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.

22:28

Jamie Cureton has an effort at goal. Save made by Neil Etheridge.

21:30

Short corner worked by Arron Davies.

17:03

Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Derek Raven.

15:50

Craig Woodman fouled by Adam Virgo, the ref awards a free kick. Indirect free kick taken by Artur Krysiak.

15:30

Tommy Doherty gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Oliver Norburn. Matt Gill restarts play with the free kick.

11:31

Oliver Norburn challenges Jamie Cureton unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Danny Coles.

4:36 Goal scored

Goal - David Clarkson - Exeter 0 - 1 Bristol R David Clarkson gets on the score sheet with a goal from deep inside the penalty box to the bottom right corner of the goal. Exeter 0-1 Bristol Rovers.

2:00

Matt Oakley concedes a free kick for a foul on Tom Parkes. Garry Kenneth takes the free kick.

0:00

The match begins.

The second half begins.

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