PSF: Exeter City v Torquay United - 3pm 2 August 2014.

They wouldn't have learned much in Brazil. - 7-1 to us I reckon!

What I would say about Briscoe is that he has an eye for goal - something we were crying out for last season!

I'm pleased he knows it. I don't!

1-0 bowman

My first look at the squad today and would say we still have some work to do in some areas of the pitch I though t we grew into the game while City struggled as the game went on. Bowman impressed and looked like a proper CF and scored a nice driven goal from a tight angle. Benyon looks to be the partner of choice and did well today with some good touches and lay offs and had a good shot well saved in the first half. Young wants the ball in he deeper parts of midfield where we always tried to play from the back - a good sign but in the blood and guts frenzy of non league there will be times when we will have to hoof aimlessly up-field or get caught in possession and pay the price. In reality City should have scored before we went ahead but they looked woeful in front of goal even though they passed the ball well at times they made little headway. Chaps score the second with a fine strike across goal in a period where we looked by far the better team and with the introduction of O'archie Ajala, Richards etc Exeter struggled even more as we tried to entertain in the last twenty minutes. Greavsy now has plenty of options up front and wide Briscoe another who I am sure will continue to improve with games under his belt.
Defensively there are still one or two question marks. Although I have been a big fan of Downes he was skinned easily in the opening exchanges bringing his man down that could easily have earned him an early bath in a competitive match. He needs some pace beside him to counter this and when you look at Cruise it doesn't give you an awful lot of confidence even though I thought he had a reasonable game today. Macdonald always tries to do the simple things and is more mobile. Tonge on the other side still looks a bit of a liability, first touch is usually poor and lacks pace and mobility.
All in all though and on this viewing I am slightly more optimistic than I was at this stage last year but until we are into at least half a dozen of the proper games we just wont know.

T

I made a late decision to go today. I paid £1.50 for what essentially was a poster of a programme, partly seduced by what I thought - at first glance - was a Torquay player on the front but it was an Exeter player in their yellow and blue Torquay kit.


First half was pretty even and early on Exeter probably shaded it.

Second half was a different story and we looked much stronger against, what was admittedly a weakened Exeter team. I wouldn't say we were secure defensively - I don't think Exeter remotely threatened or tested us - but the defence did enough and a few defenders got some good blocks in. The wingers (Briscoe/Cameron) both looked threatening and up front Bowman (and even Benyon) worked well.

In midfield, Ben Harding stood out for me, more so than Young, who attempted to be ambitious at times but his long passes quite often went to the opposition, while Harding was just tidy, played the sensible, easy pass. He was probably my m.o.m.

When the substitutions started, we had Richards and Ajala come on and there was this little spell of ole football with a few backheels. Both looked impressive, as did Chapell when he came on. I really do think we are likely to be amongst the strongest in this position. I would be happy with any of Chapell, Briscoe, Cameron, Ajala starting.

It could be that away from home, Hargreaves plays a Lingesque line-up with Richards added to Young/Harding and Bowman up front on his own - he does look like he can make things happen - at least he did today. Both goals were similar - from quite tight angles on the right.

I suppose we should not read too much into friendlies but my conclusions are that we desperately need full-backs. This is our glaringly weak position. Tonge tends to pass to the opposition, whilst Cruise is just so slow and gentle. I'm not convinced by Rice but I guess we are going to have to live with that. Otherwise, we are quite well served in other areas, other than up front if Bowman is absent. O'Achie really looked a little out of his depth, whilst Sullivan is likely to have the same career path as Yeoman if he stays beyond this season.

These, of course, are fairly snap judgements made in a meaningless game but overall, the picture was positive.