Exeter City vs Barrow. Sky Bet League Two.
St James ParkAttendance7,860.
Report and free match highlights as Exeter City secure automatic promotion to Sky Bet League One; Kieran Phillips and Matt Jay on scoresheet for Grecians; Cameron Dawson had given visitors lead with an own goal
Tuesday 26 April 2022 23:49, UK
Exeter have secured automatic promotion to Sky Bet League One after a 2-1 win against Barrow at St James Park.
Matt Taylor's men knew only a win would secure a safe passage to the third tier for the first time since the 2011/12 campaign, and thanks to goals from Kieran Phillips and Matt Jay - which came after Cameron Dawson's 11th-minute own goal - they have done just that.
Avoiding the play-off lottery will come as a great relief to Grecians fans, who have seen their side lose in three of the last five League Two play-off finals.
Barrow were intent on spoiling the party and, after turning Exeter around so they'd be shooting towards a rammed Big Bank in the first half, they then opened the scoring on 12 minutes.
A long throw caused havoc in the Exeter penalty box, hit the far post and then went into the net off Exeter goalkeeper Dawson.
Exeter responded well with Timothee Dieng and Jack Sparkes seeing efforts deflect wide and Jay firing straight at Paul Farman.
Phillips missed a great chance when, after a lovely move, he shot against the top of the crossbar from eight yards.
But he made amends on 35 minutes when he picked the ball up inside his own half and ran at the Barrow defence. He tried his luck from 25 yards and the ball took a deflection before creeping in at Furman's near post.
Dawson made a superb save with his feet to deny Remeao Hutton before Jay fired Exeter in front on 78 minutes.
He took down a deep cross with one touch and smashed the ball into the bottom corner to send a packed house into delirium - and Exeter into League One.
Exeter boss Matt Taylor: "It was an incredible night for the club. It was a strange game and to fall behind to a freakish goal in that manner - and then score a deflected one ourselves - summed up the type of game it was really. We just had to grind out a performance that kept level in relation to the context of the game and fortunately, that chance has fallen to MJ, our captain, our academy product, a constant threat in terms of his goals and he took it so well and we saw the game out.
"I can't remember a chance for either side in the second half - barely a chance in the first half. It just shows where the game was played, it was all in the middle of the pitch and it was difficult to gain control and I can't remember any clear-cut chances. As the second half went on it was just a battle, a war of attrition and we had to be ready for our moment and MJ was.
"As soon as that goal went in, it felt like that was it because neither side was creating chances. We had to withstand a few long balls, but we were comfortable after that."
