Grecians put on stirring first-half display to exploit sloppy Shakers

It was payback time for Exeter City as they moved five points clear of the npower League One relegation zone with a vital 3-2 win over Bury.

Manager Paul Tisdale called on players to put things right after last week's 2-1 defeat at Notts County and they responded with a blistering start that paved the way for their sixth home success of the season.

Goal celebrations for Exeter City's Daniel Nardiello (second left), Richard Logan, David Noble and James Dunne. Picture by Pinnacle

Troy Archibald-Henville rammed home the opener before Daniel Nardiello doubled the hosts' advantage with a well-taken penalty.

David Amoo capitalised on some hesitant defending to reduce the deficit, only for Richard Logan to put City back in complete control with his fifth goal of the season.

Stung by their sloppy start to Saturday's match, Bury presumably were given a dressing down at the interval and they were a different side in the second half. But City soaked up most of their pressure until Ashley Eastham struck in stoppage time with a mere consolation effort.

The importance of the win was thrown into sharp focus given that most of Exeter's relegation rivals also won.

Not only has Tisdale's side given themselves some breathing space with two wins from their last three games, they have also hauled Tranmere Rovers and Oldham Athletic into the relegation battle.

Much of the talk before the game was how Tisdale could revive the fortunes of his misfiring strikers, and the City boss shuffled his pack up front with recalls for Jake Taylor and Richard Logan at the expense of Guillem Bauza and John O'Flynn.

The double switch paid immediate dividends with Taylor giving Bury's central defensive pairing of Mark Hughes and Efe Sodje a torrid time right from the first minute.

Exeter drew first blood after five minutes, Archibald-Henville grabbing his second goal of the season with a close-range finish after Scot Bennett's header came back off the post. When Taylor clipped the ball over the head of Sodje, the Bury defender clumsily barged into the youngster and the referee pointed to the spot.

Daniel Nardiello rifled home the penalty for his ninth goal of the season and it looked very much as though City were going to dish out a drubbing.

But Bury rallied and pulled one back thanks to the instincts of Amoo as he reacted quickest to lash the ball past Artur Krysiak after Sodje's headed rebounded off the bar.

A stunning move paved the way for City's third with Taylor latching on to Richard Duffy's pass and supplying a delightful cross for Logan to head past Cameron Belford at the back post.

Where City were fluid and cohesive in the first half, they were pushed back in the second half as Bury threw caution to the wind. But despite enjoying more possession and territorial advantage, Bury were unable to translate pressure into clear-cut chances.

Lennell John-Lewis flashed a header past the post and Artur Krysiak dived to keep out Giles Coke's effort.

Exeter's best effort in the second half came courtesy of Nardiello's sweetly struck shot that was acrobatically pushed away by Belford.

Yet Bury were always the more likely to score and they did pull a goal back a minute into stoppage time. Eastham connected crisply with Schumacher's corner to give the Shakers a glimmer of hope. But there was to be no grandstand finish as Exeter comfortably held on to record a vital three points.

Exeter City: Krysiak, Duffy, Jones, Archibald-Henville, Duffy, Bennett, Noble (Sercombe 10), Dunne, Logan (Bauza 76), Taylor (O'Flynn 48), Nardiello. Substitutes (not used): Pidgeley (gk), McNish.

Goals: Archibald-Henville 5, Nardiello pen 9, Logan 41.

Booking: Bennett.

Bury: Belford, Picken, Skarz, Sodje, Hughes, Schumacher, Sweeney (Doble 60), Coke, Worrall (Harrop 73), Amoo, Lennell (Eastham 85). Substitutes (not used): Williams, Carrington.

Goals: Amoo 29, Eastham 90.

Bookings: Sodje, Picken.

Referee: L Collins (Surrey).

Attendance: 4,281.