Exeter City: Bolton Wanderers’ thorn helps eradicate Luke Harris blow – View.
The king has died; long live the king.
Many Exeter City fans expressed their satisfaction at the team’s 2-0 victory over Bolton Wanderers, led by Kamari Doyle’s outstanding performance.
Not only was it a surprising result and a strong away performance, but it also erased the memories of last year’s visit to the Toughsheet, which ended in a humiliating 7-0 defeat for the Grecians.
With that burden off the team’s and manager Gary Caldwell’s backs, everyone can look forward with hope, and the game was full of positives.
Looking threatening from set pieces is a new trend for City this year, which is a critical development that will help the Grecians pick up valuable points in what appears to be a very tough League One season.
Doyle, City’s Luke Harris substitute, played a significant role in imposing that threat from dead balls.
Josh Magennis turned a whipped Doyle corner on at the near post, allowing Millenic Alli to force the ball over the line for the second, however it’s unclear if the Irishman actually scored or it was an own goal.
This goal, similar to Tristan Crama’s opening in the 2-1 Northampton Town match, is difficult to stop if completed well.
City have now scored in 17 consecutive games, which is an impressive performance for a team that appears to lack a true striker.
Joe Whitworth and his teammates maintained a clean sheet, aided by his error-free performance as a loan player from Crystal Palace.
Kami Doyle learnt from James Ward-Prowse.
The Brighton player was billed as James Ward-Prowse’s protégé after his stint at Southampton, and his impressive free-kick has been extensively circulated on social media.
Not to worry anyone, but he takes them right-footed as well, and he pinged in the corner for City’s second with his right after scoring the first from 25 yards with his left.
He replaced Reece Cole in the starting lineup this weekend, creating a possible selection dilemma.
Given Cole’s sluggish start to the season, Doyle may now start ahead of last season’s top scorer for some time. However, Caldwell acknowledged that Cole missed much of the week’s training due to an injury.
It wasn’t only the set pieces and the wonderful goal that drew attention; he also appeared smooth on the ball, with the ability to get past players and choose a pass.
He worked his socks off and was exhausted when replaced by Cole on the hour mark, which is fair considering the effort put in and the paucity of 90-minute men’s matches he has played in his career thus far.
Gary Caldwell is pleased by Kami Doyle.
After the game, he stated, “It was a dream [debut], to be fair. We got the three points, and I managed to get myself on the scoresheet.”
“I’ve been focusing on free kicks, and I aim to continue to contribute with them. Milli wanted to steal it, but I trusted my own abilities. Because it was on that side, I assumed it was beneficial for my left foot. I knew precisely where I was going [to celebrate], so it was convenient.
“They [management] encouraged us to shoot for the front post [on corners], and Josh did great to get the flick on and it went in. It was an ideal start to the second half.
“I hadn’t started a game in a long, so it was a little exhausting, but the players performed admirably; everyone worked hard and defended brilliantly. The essential thing is that we received three points.”
Doyle was a continual thorn in the Trotters’ side, demonstrating as much defensive and fighting ability as he did on the ball. His boss was obviously pleased with the 19-year-old’s performance.
| Exeter City’s next five League One fixtures | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date & time | Team | Venue |
| 14/09/24 3pm | Blackpool | Bloomfield Road |
| 21/09/24 12.30pm | Stevenage | St James Park |
| 28/09/24 3pm | Wigan | The Brick Community Stadium |
| 01/10/24 7.45pm | Leyton Orient | Brisbane Road |
| 05/10/24 3pm | Cambridge United | St James Park |
He answered, “He can do it with both feet; that’s his gift. You can see him taking corners with his left and right foot. I felt he had some very excellent moments; it was his Football League debut, so he’ll only improve from that.
“We are delighted to have him because he’s a real talent and he will give us more moments like that, I’m sure.”
Caldwell and his team have been praised for their performance in the transfer market this summer, and Doyle appears to be right up there in terms of quality recruiting.
Luke Harris, who joined Birmingham City on loan this season, was expected to be a huge loss for the City team. However, based on the limited look we’ve had at Doyle so far, he could be an upgrade, especially if he can consistently deliver quality displays and maintain his excellent set-piece delivery.
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