Exeter, Matt Jay and spoiling a promotion party

On a day where Bolton had the chance to return to League One at the first time of asking, it was Exeter who gave their own promotion hopes a shot in the arm after a dramatic day at the University of Bolton stadium.

As the train pulled up at Bolton station, a group of young Wanderers fans stepped aboard towards the destination of Horwich Parkway. ‘3-0 win today’, shouted one of the youths. ‘We’re going up.’ The mood was celebratory. This was to be one of the better days in the recent Bolton history.

Prior to kick off, hundreds of Bolton fans gathered to kick-start the promotion party. The usual chants were in full swing. ‘The Whites are going up’ and ‘What do we think of Wigan’ were being used to get the party started. Blue and white flares had gone off as supporters defied the plea to stay away from the ground and cheered their new heroes into the stadium.

There was an expectancy in the air. Bolton were going to claim the three points required and celebrate promotion with a game to spare. Perhaps even a title triumph was not out of the question. Unfortunately for Wanderers fans, nobody sent Matt Taylor and Exeter this script in advance.

The Grecians desperately needed the win themselves and they were in a selfish mood. They didn’t come to be a supporting act in Bolton’s big day. They came to spoil the party and in turn lead their own fans to dream of a day out in a Wembley playoff final.

Exeter started brightly and on the front foot. Matt Jay was looking lively in attack, surely buoyed by his inclusion in the League Two team of the season. A lovely pass into the feet of Ryan Bowman almost set the striker through on goal but his control let him down as Bolton were put on the back foot.

Jay squandered a decent chance himself as he broke free on the right hand side but dwelt on the ball a bit too long and took the wrong option as he should have picked out Bowman at the back post.

Bolton responded and began to come into the game before taking the lead thanks to Gethin Jones’ cool side-footed finish into the bottom corner. The roars went up outside the ground and fireworks were set off. This was the start of it. Bolton would now push on and seal the deal.

The goal should have eased any lingering nerves for the Wanderers and initially they did look to push on and grab a second goal but as the second half began, Exeter came back again and showed why, despite their league position, they’re regarded as one of the best sides in the league.

Jay was influential to everything good that was happening for Taylor’s men. The striker looked particularly dangerous from the inside right position, sliding delicate passes in behind the defence which left Bolton scrambling.

A huge help to the Exeter task was getting the equaliser early in the second half. Randell Williams picked up the ball outside the Bolton penalty area and as the defence backed off, his left-footed shot arrowed into the bottom corner.

Exeter tails were up and the belief was there. They could win this game and keep the playoff dream alive.

Jay appeared to be even more confident, attempting a back-heeled volley which he failed to produce sufficient connection with and popping up all over the Bolton half looking for the ball.

Brilliant football on the right hand side presented Jay’s best opportunity of the game as he controlled the ball beautifully in the box and lifted the ball above Matt Gilks. Unfortunately for the local Devon lad the ball landed agonisingly wide of the post.

With news coming through that Morecambe were 2-0 up against Walsall, a draw was no longer going to cut it for Bolton, while Salford going 1-0 down in Colchester presented Exeter with an opportunity.

The game descended into chaos with both teams going hell for leather for the win. Whilst it was probably torture for fans of the clubs involved, the final 15 minutes were a sheer joy for the neutrals.

Exeter defender Pierce Sweeney likened it to a basketball match after the game and he was spot on. Caution was thrown to the wind as both teams chased the precious winner.

As the fifth minute of injury time ticked by, it looked as though a draw would have to do before subsititue Jake Caprice won a free kick on the right.

Exeter goalkeeper Jokull Andresson ran forward to join in the attack which prompted Ian Evatt to tell Eoin Doyle to run forward and join Shaun Miller as Bolton left two men up hoping to score on the break.

If Gilks had gotten hold of the ball he could punt the ball forward and Bolton would have had an empty net to secure promotion in the dying seconds. The champagne was on ice.

Instead, disaster struck. Jack Sparkes delivery landed on the head of the unmarked Sweeney to head home and send the Exeter squad into raptures. They’d come to the home of one of the form teams in the country and beaten them to leave themselves a fighting shot at the playoffs.

Whoever controlled the music at the stadium captured the mood perfectly, opting for ‘The Scientist’ by Coldplay as the players sank in defeat. Chris Martin said it better than anyone. ‘Nobody said it was easy’.

Exeter on the other hand were flying high and Taylor revealed afterwards that the winning goal was particularly sweet due to a training ground bet. He offered the players £20 each if they could score from a set piece as it was something they had been working on. That’s £400 that he’ll be delighted to part with.

Match winner Sweeney confirmed that the squad are due to meet up on Sunday for their first social gathering of the season due to the Covid restriction. A burger and a glass of whiskey are his prizes of choice with the gaffer’s money. Few would begrudge the celebration after such a gutsy display.

The atmosphere outside the ground predictably turned sour and there were some scuffles among supporters. Thankfully it passed relatively quickly and order was restored. The train journey back did not have quite the same jovial mood.

The situation remains the same for Bolton. Win next week away to Crawley and they’re up, no questions asked. Anything less and Morecambe will be waiting to pounce.

Exeter still need a snooker to get into the playoff positions but they have given themselves the platform. A win next week at home to Barrow will have Forest Green and Tranmere squirming. If they do make it, nobody will want to face the Grecians.

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