🇦🇹Boro in Devon week🇦🇹

I'm on the train from rainy Plymouth with a couple of tinnies. I'm delighted to learn that my "home seat" for this evening is definitely undercover. This weather is mental!
 
Arrived about 2 this afternoon. 3 pints of Marston’s and a steak n’ ale pie later, I’m well and ready for the evening. (dressed like an otter), it’s absolutely hoying it down!
 
Crazy night, bumped into very close mates from Brotton, lot of Boro going to crash but I'm up for a 3-5;am morning.
 
Well what a night. Proper old school cup tie atmosphere, engaging opposition fans, perfect playing surface despite the rain battering and a sense of excitement all day as it built up.

Exeter city centre was awash with students dressed up for Halloween night as we made our way from our pub towards the lights of St James Park glowing in the rain mists. A sign at the turnstile from the club greeted us which we though a lovely touch.

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It was obvious MC was taking this competition seriously with the side he put out. Some of the most enjoyable experiences following Boro over the years have been Cup nights and this was to be up there as one of the most memorable.

Exeter scored early. One of those special goals that either come off or they don’t a first time half volley from a right wing cross that normally balloons over the bar. This one arching over Glover into the top corner in a flash. It was to be Exeters only threat on goal at all in the first half as they were content to put 11 men behind the ball and invite us to try and pass through them. This was not a night for Latte Lath as he could not find room to burst through with his pace and we huffed and puffed our way through a very frustrating first half. Indeed so unsuccessful were we that our first shot on target was not until the 48th minute - a snap shot from Hackney that their keeper comfortably dealt with tipping over.

Frustration aplenty at half time. It hadn’t been a good one.. Players trying hard to make a mark and too many misplaced passes not helped by the greasy surface. Hackney the pick of our players for sure in that first half. Would there be changes at HT? No. Boro players came out early to warm up and were ready. The dominant possession game continued. Probing down the left Alex Bangura didn’t give up on regaining possession as Exeter attempted to clear their lines, he won it back for Rogers, ghosting inside, unleashing a curler into the top far corner. Cue bedlam. We were back in it. Our anxiety lifted. We started to enjoy things. We came at them in waves. Rogers, fired from his special goal, was a different player demanding the ball. He fed Sammy Silvera who was not to miss out. In a carbon copy almost of the first goal Silvera smashed a low curler in to the same far corner. There was only going to be one winner now. Exeter had offered nothing of note at all.

Or so we thought. Cup football never works like this. Fired by a packed house back came the Grecians with Trevitt their first half goal scorer picking up a loose ball and chancing his luck with a shot from 20 yards which was slightly deflected over Glover and it was back to all square.

The ground was now rocking. This was a great cup tie. We were quickly back on the offensive. Barlaser corner from the left headed into the air and for some unknown reason the two goal Exeter hero decided he wanted Rogers shirt before the full time whistle. A stonewall penalty. Up stepped Lath, who’d had a pretty frustrating evening both for himself and those of us watching him and he coolly slotted home sending the keeper the wrong way.

The game went into 9 mins of injury time and anxiety levels were raised again as Exeter had a couple of dangerous dead ball opportunities in and around our box. We held out and we even saw Lath get an opportunity to burst his way through but went to narrow and the keeper was able to block his shot away.

And coming away from the ground the Exeter fans were very gracious in defeat and wished us well for the game on Saturday against that lot up the road. Back into town we went. The students well into their Halloween celebrations and the rain was not dampening their jollities.

One of those really enjoyable evenings.
 
Cardiffdaffs said:
Well what a night. Proper old school cup tie atmosphere, engaging opposition fans, perfect playing surface despite the rain battering and a sense of excitement all day as it built up.

Exeter city centre was awash with students dressed up for Halloween night as we made our way from our pub towards the lights of St James Park glowing in the rain mists. A sign at the turnstile from the club greeted us which we though a lovely touch.

View attachment 66216

It was obvious MC was taking this competition seriously with the side he put out. Some of the most enjoyable experiences following Boro over the years have been Cup nights and this was to be up there as one of the most memorable.

Exeter scored early. One of those special goals that either come off or they don’t a first time half volley from a right wing cross that normally balloons over the bar. This one arching over Glover into the top corner in a flash. It was to be Exeters only threat on goal at all in the first half as they were content to put 11 men behind the ball and invite us to try and pass through them. This was not a night for Latte Lath as he could not find room to burst through with his pace and we huffed and puffed our way through a very frustrating first half. Indeed so unsuccessful were we that our first shot on target was not until the 48th minute - a snap shot from Hackney that their keeper comfortably dealt with tipping over.

Frustration aplenty at half time. It hadn’t been a good one.. Players trying hard to make a mark and too many misplaced passes not helped by the greasy surface. Hackney the pick of our players for sure in that first half. Would there be changes at HT? No. Boro players came out early to warm up and were ready. The dominant possession game continued. Probing down the left Alex Bangura didn’t give up on regaining possession as Exeter attempted to clear their lines, he won it back for Rogers, ghosting inside, unleashing a curler into the top far corner. Cue bedlam. We were back in it. Our anxiety lifted. We started to enjoy things. We came at them in waves. Rogers, fired from his special goal, was a different player demanding the ball. He fed Sammy Silvera who was not to miss out. In a carbon copy almost of the first goal Silvera smashed a low curler in to the same far corner. There was only going to be one winner now. Exeter had offered nothing of note at all.

Or so we thought. Cup football never works like this. Fired by a packed house back came the Grecians with Trevitt their first half goal scorer picking up a loose ball and chancing his luck with a shot from 20 yards which was slightly deflected over Glover and it was back to all square.

The ground was now rocking. This was a great cup tie. We were quickly back on the offensive. Barlaser corner from the left headed into the air and for some unknown reason the two goal Exeter hero decided he wanted Rogers shirt before the full time whistle. A stonewall penalty. Up stepped Lath, who’d had a pretty frustrating evening both for himself and those of us watching him and he coolly slotted home sending the keeper the wrong way.

The game went into 9 mins of injury time and anxiety levels were raised again as Exeter had a couple of dangerous dead ball opportunities in and around our box. We held out and we even saw Lath get an opportunity to burst his way through but went to narrow and the keeper was able to block his shot away.

And coming away from the ground the Exeter fans were very gracious in defeat and wished us well for the game on Saturday against that lot up the road. Back into town we went. The students well into their Halloween celebrations and the rain was not dampening their jollities.

One of those really enjoyable evenings.
Click to expand...
Nice account Cardiff 👍
 
Cardiffdaffs said:
Well what a night. Proper old school cup tie atmosphere, engaging opposition fans, perfect playing surface despite the rain battering and a sense of excitement all day as it built up.

Exeter city centre was awash with students dressed up for Halloween night as we made our way from our pub towards the lights of St James Park glowing in the rain mists. A sign at the turnstile from the club greeted us which we though a lovely touch.

View attachment 66216

It was obvious MC was taking this competition seriously with the side he put out. Some of the most enjoyable experiences following Boro over the years have been Cup nights and this was to be up there as one of the most memorable.

Exeter scored early. One of those special goals that either come off or they don’t a first time half volley from a right wing cross that normally balloons over the bar. This one arching over Glover into the top corner in a flash. It was to be Exeters only threat on goal at all in the first half as they were content to put 11 men behind the ball and invite us to try and pass through them. This was not a night for Latte Lath as he could not find room to burst through with his pace and we huffed and puffed our way through a very frustrating first half. Indeed so unsuccessful were we that our first shot on target was not until the 48th minute - a snap shot from Hackney that their keeper comfortably dealt with tipping over.

Frustration aplenty at half time. It hadn’t been a good one.. Players trying hard to make a mark and too many misplaced passes not helped by the greasy surface. Hackney the pick of our players for sure in that first half. Would there be changes at HT? No. Boro players came out early to warm up and were ready. The dominant possession game continued. Probing down the left Alex Bangura didn’t give up on regaining possession as Exeter attempted to clear their lines, he won it back for Rogers, ghosting inside, unleashing a curler into the top far corner. Cue bedlam. We were back in it. Our anxiety lifted. We started to enjoy things. We came at them in waves. Rogers, fired from his special goal, was a different player demanding the ball. He fed Sammy Silvera who was not to miss out. In a carbon copy almost of the first goal Silvera smashed a low curler in to the same far corner. There was only going to be one winner now. Exeter had offered nothing of note at all.

Or so we thought. Cup football never works like this. Fired by a packed house back came the Grecians with Trevitt their first half goal scorer picking up a loose ball and chancing his luck with a shot from 20 yards which was slightly deflected over Glover and it was back to all square.

The ground was now rocking. This was a great cup tie. We were quickly back on the offensive. Barlaser corner from the left headed into the air and for some unknown reason the two goal Exeter hero decided he wanted Rogers shirt before the full time whistle. A stonewall penalty. Up stepped Lath, who’d had a pretty frustrating evening both for himself and those of us watching him and he coolly slotted home sending the keeper the wrong way.

The game went into 9 mins of injury time and anxiety levels were raised again as Exeter had a couple of dangerous dead ball opportunities in and around our box. We held out and we even saw Lath get an opportunity to burst his way through but went to narrow and the keeper was able to block his shot away.

And coming away from the ground the Exeter fans were very gracious in defeat and wished us well for the game on Saturday against that lot up the road. Back into town we went. The students well into their Halloween celebrations and the rain was not dampening their jollities.

One of those really enjoyable evenings.
Click to expand...
Really well written Cardiffs, thank you for sharing.

I had a great evening too. My seat in the home end had a great view on the halfway line and I was surrounded by well to do prawn sandwich types. I managed to remain undercover throughout, although when I took my seat before kick-off, the two old boys sat next to me said, "You don't look like the lady that normally sits there" 🙂.

Safe travels everyone and onto Home Park on Saturday 👍
 

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