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League Two - 2nd Leg
ExeterExeter City3CarlisleCarlisle United2

Exeter City 3-2 Carlisle United (agg: 6-5)

By James LawBBC Sport at St James Park

Last updated on .From the section Football comments 29

Jack Stacey
Former Carlisle loanee Jack Stacey had never scored for Exeter before

Jack Stacey's 95th-minute winner saw Exeter beat Carlisle to reach the League Two play-off final after an extraordinary 6-5 win on aggregate.

After the first leg had ended 3-3, Exeter led when David Wheeler pulled back for Ollie Watkins to net early on.

Watkins bent in his and Exeter's second on 79 minutes, but Jason Kennedy soon scrambled one back as Carlisle rallied.

John O'Sullivan headed a late leveller but there was still time for Stacey to drill into the top corner to win it.

Paul Tisdale's side will face Blackpool in the final on Sunday, 28 May for the right to play in League One next season.

The Tangerines beat Luton in the other semi-final - also 6-5 on aggregate and also courtesy of a 95th-minute winner on a remarkable night for League Two.

The Hatters had looked to be on course for Wembley when Danny Hylton's penalty put them ahead on aggregate, but Armand Gnanduillet's equaliser and a last-gasp own goal from goalkeeper Stuart Moore sent the Tangerines to the final.

Carlisle run out of fightback time

Carlisle, who spent much of the campaign in the automatic promotion places, had a strong first-half penalty appeal turned down when Troy Brown appeared to handle a Luke Joyce cross.

Keith Curle's visitors came from two goals down in both legs of the tie, with 25 goals now scored between the sides in their past five meetings.

O'Sullivan, who scored off the bench in each leg, got the Cumbrians' ninth equaliser against Exeter over that period but they had no time to respond to Stacey's fine winner, the Reading loanee's first goal for the club.

The former Carlisle loanee's stunning strike saw Exeter - who were last in League One in the 2011-12 campaign - finally beat a fellow play-off side this season at the eighth time of asking.

Exeter were bottom of League Two in November, with only Newport and relegated Leyton Orient spending more days in the drop zone than them this term.

Ollie Watkins
Ollie Watkins' brace had seen Exeter lead by two goals with 11 minutes to play
Carlisle
Carlisle looked to have forced extra time when John O'Sullivan made it 2-2
Paul Tisdale (centre)
But it was Paul Tisdale's side celebrating at the final whistle

Exeter boss Paul Tisdale told BBC Radio Devon:

"If it had gone to extra time we would've won it, because we had that mentality.

"Once they scored their goal there was a strange acceptance that we'd have to score another.

"They've come back at us so many times - they're so good at it - that we just thought 'crikey, we're just going to keep attacking'.

"It's been a very determined last 30 games to go from the bottom of the league to the play-off final, and we've still got more to go."

Carlisle boss Keith Curle told BBC Radio 5 live:

"I'm very proud of the players and the football club - we can walk out of here with our heads held high.

"We gave a very good team a run for their money.

"I had to walk into the changing room and listen to what success sounded like in Exeter celebrating and that hurts - that has to be a spur for us individually.

"The building blocks, the foundations are here - we've had to put them in place over a short period - you look at Exeter, the manager's been here for eight, nine, 10 years to do that."

Line-ups

Exeter

Formation 4-4-1-1

  • 1Olejnik
  • 28Stacey
  • 39Brown
  • 15Moore-Taylor
  • 3Woodman
  • 11Wheeler
  • 25Taylor
  • 6Tillson
  • 10Holmes Substituted forGrantat 58'minutes
  • 7Harley
  • 14Watkins

Substitutes

  • 4James
  • 12Grant
  • 19McAlinden
  • 29Croll
  • 30Pym
  • 31Sweeney
  • 33Reid

Carlisle

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 1Gillespie
  • 23Miller
  • 5Raynes Substituted forKennedyat 75'minutes
  • 28Liddle
  • 3GraingerBooked at 58mins
  • 4Joyce
  • 16Bailey
  • 17Devitt Substituted forMillerat 57'minutes
  • 19Lambe Substituted forO'Sullivanat 63'minutesBooked at 70mins
  • 10Adams
  • 9Proctor

Substitutes

  • 7Kennedy
  • 12Gillesphey
  • 14Ibehre
  • 18O'Sullivan
  • 20Miller
  • 22Crocombe
  • 27Waring
Referee:
Dean Whitestone
Attendance:
7,450

Match Stats

Home TeamExeterAway TeamCarlisle
Possession
Home51%
Away49%
Shots
Home14
Away19
Shots on Target
Home9
Away4
Corners
Home5
Away6
Fouls
Home3
Away15

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Exeter City 3, Carlisle United 2.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Exeter City 3, Carlisle United 2.

  3. Goal!

    Goal! Exeter City 3, Carlisle United 2. Jack Stacey (Exeter City) left footed shot from outside the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Jake Taylor.

  4. Post update

    Jake Taylor (Exeter City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  5. Post update

    Foul by Nicky Adams (Carlisle United).

  6. Post update

    Attempt saved. Ryan Harley (Exeter City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Joel Grant.

  7. Goal!

    Goal! Exeter City 2, Carlisle United 2. John O'Sullivan (Carlisle United) header from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Nicky Adams with a cross.

  8. Post update

    Jordan Tillson (Exeter City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  9. Post update

    Foul by Jamie Proctor (Carlisle United).

  10. Post update

    Offside, Carlisle United. Gary Liddle tries a through ball, but Shaun Miller is caught offside.

  11. Post update

    Attempt missed. Joel Grant (Exeter City) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Ollie Watkins.

  12. Goal!

    Goal! Exeter City 2, Carlisle United 1. Jason Kennedy (Carlisle United) right footed shot from very close range to the bottom left corner following a corner.

  13. Post update

    Attempt blocked. John O'Sullivan (Carlisle United) right footed shot from very close range is blocked. Assisted by Jason Kennedy.

  14. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Shaun Miller (Carlisle United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Luke Joyce with a headed pass.

  15. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Danny Grainger (Carlisle United) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

  16. Post update

    Corner, Carlisle United. Conceded by Jordan Moore-Taylor.

  17. Goal!

    Goal! Exeter City 2, Carlisle United 0. Ollie Watkins (Exeter City) left footed shot from the right side of the box to the top left corner. Assisted by David Wheeler.

  18. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Ryan Harley (Exeter City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Joel Grant.

  19. Post update

    Attempt missed. Danny Grainger (Carlisle United) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Nicky Adams with a cross following a corner.

  20. Post update

    Corner, Carlisle United. Conceded by Jordan Moore-Taylor.

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29 comments

  • Comment posted by steve clark, at 22:27 18 May 2017

    Congratulations to Exeter City. There is a lesson for several bigger clubs here.When Exeter were bottom of the league in November they resisted any thought of changing their manager and have been rewarded. Tonight's game was a real cliff hanger and had more drama than a dozen Premier league matches.

  • Comment posted by trevor hobbs, at 22:24 18 May 2017

    all four play off games have been a credit to league 2. far more exciting and entertaining than the vast majority of games in the premiership!

  • Comment posted by HeroicOnion, at 09:32 19 May 2017

    Well done Exeter. in a time when some clubs change managers three times in a season, others spend millions on agents fees and most take their fans for granted Exeter show what loyalty, community and teamwork mean. They operate on a shoestring budget, have stuck with their manager for over a decade and the fans own the Club. They don't park the bus; they use it to drive to Wembley!

  • Comment posted by unknown user , at 22:14 18 May 2017

    What a great tie

  • Comment posted by zee4, at 22:33 18 May 2017

    #7 what are you on about? Never heard such nonsense, this is a trolling comment, right? I was at the game tonight and it was a great advert for League One football. Absolutely no way was that game fixed. Ridiculous to even suggest it. Congrats to Exeter who I thought deserved the win especially after the first leg should have seen Exeter win but for some poor refereeing. Well done Blackpool too.

  • Comment posted by Brubaker, at 09:18 19 May 2017

    What a team, What a Manager (of 11 yrs), What a club, WHAT FANS. Who own the club.
    Exeter City - Outstanding
    From spending most of the first 4 months in the bottom two, to the play off final.

    I still remember how silly Klopp looked giving his post match interview in a broom cupboard after Liverpool drew 2-2 (and they were lucky) That's how small a club Exeter is.
    Now Win to annoy Plymouth.

  • Comment posted by croftview, at 22:16 18 May 2017

    Come on now, Grecians, win the final! Div 1 awaits!

  • Comment posted by trevor hobbs, at 22:28 18 May 2017

    just noticed Exeter only gave away 3 fouls in whole match, is that a record low?

  • Comment posted by slarge, at 22:42 18 May 2017

    #7 I was there tonight and I have been to almost all Exeter's home games this season and this game summed up City all season.

    League 2 is an entertaining league with some very good footballing side.

    You haven't got a clue what you are talking about markthelegendkid (!!)

  • Comment posted by ClaudeBalls, at 08:11 19 May 2017

    Good Lord. Two proper football matches, both sides going for it. Anyone who's followed City as long as I have knows we never do anything the easy way. Fair play to Tis, even when we were bottom he said we'd be OK once we got everyone fit, and so it has proved. Looking forward to (another) Wembley trip. UTC.

  • Comment posted by AceModFace, at 22:56 18 May 2017

    Unlucky Carlisle, but congratulations to Exeter! I hope you win the final - nothing against Blackpool, but a m8 of mine is an Argyle fan and I know it will spook him to Hell if the Grecians are also in L1 with 'em next season! All the best to all the 'small' clubs, from a Womble supporter!

  • Comment posted by darlo50, at 01:13 19 May 2017

    Keith Curle inherited one of the weakest ever squad of players when he was appointed.
    Within 6 months he had made some of the desperately poor players look half decent !
    The others he moved on and replaced despite a shoestring budget. He is a very fine manager.
    He has overcome extra challenges with a dishonest Board who have 'invented' 3 takeover bids, and flooding which meant no home matches.

  • Comment posted by KM Searle, at 09:05 19 May 2017

    What an end to a match! Congratulations City on achieving another visit to Wembley. From bottom of the Football League in November to the play-off final in May - a fantastic achievement for Paul Tisdale and the team.

    Well played by Carlisle but it seems their luck (and beneftting from some dodgy officiating) finally ran out.

    Congratulations too to Blackpool. See you on the 28th!

  • Comment posted by daver, at 22:17 18 May 2017

    4 incredible games this season, 3-2, 2-3, 3-3 and 3-2 all with injury time goals.

  • Comment posted by happygrecian, at 00:36 19 May 2017

    Amazing game. I was there, no way was it fixed.

    Felt sorry for the Carlisle fans who had travelled all the way down to Exeter, and then saw their team lose with one minute of extra time left. But that's football - the lows make the highs feel all the more satisfying when they come.

    Come on City!

  • Comment posted by northofwatford, at 04:16 19 May 2017

    Carlisle after a disastrous 2017 campaign have now to endure long travels next season , Forest Green instead of Blackburn Rovers. Well done to Exeter the better side in both legs.

  • Comment posted by User0459987552, at 00:07 19 May 2017

    Very pleased to see the result for the Grecian's. Spent four years in Exeter, came home( New Zealand ) about eight years ago. Was about 500 hundred metres from the "real" St James Park on the other side of the Newtown "Pleasure Garden"( I think that's its official title)......... anyway. Well done Paul Tisdale and the team whoever you are now.

  • Comment posted by WhackamoleExpert, at 02:07 19 May 2017

    A special special night. One more battle we need to win at the big stage before the war is won.

    See you at Wembley Blackpool. UTC

  • Comment posted by ecfc3, at 09:21 19 May 2017

    Well done city , great goals on th telly ,now win the final

  • Comment posted by Tipsterchep, at 11:29 19 May 2017

    Carlisle should of had automatic prom,in the top two at one point. They had a disastrous last third of the season. Got to look at the manager for that.

As It Stood

Team P W D L F A GD Pts
1 Portsmouth 46 26 9 11 79 40 39 87
2 Plymouth 46 26 9 11 71 46 25 87
3 Doncaster 46 25 10 11 85 55 30 85
4 Luton 46 20 17 9 70 43 27 77
5 Exeter 46 21 8 17 75 56 19 71
6 Carlisle 46 18 17 11 69 68 1 71
7 Blackpool 46 18 16 12 69 46 23 70
8 Colchester 46 19 12 15 67 57 10 69
9 Wycombe 46 19 12 15 58 53 5 69
10 Stevenage 46 20 7 19 67 63 4 67
11 Cambridge 46 19 9 18 58 50 8 66
12 Mansfield 46 17 15 14 54 50 4 66
13 Accrington 46 17 14 15 59 56 3 65
14 Grimsby 46 17 11 18 59 63 -4 62
15 Barnet 46 14 15 17 57 64 -7 57
16 Notts County 46 16 8 22 54 76 -22 56
17 Crewe 46 14 13 19 58 67 -9 55
18 Morecambe 46 14 10 22 53 73 -20 52
19 Crawley 46 13 12 21 53 71 -18 51
20 Yeovil 46 11 17 18 49 64 -15 50
21 Cheltenham 46 12 14 20 49 69 -20 50
22 Newport 46 12 12 22 51 73 -22 48
23 Hartlepool 46 11 13 22 54 75 -21 46
24 Leyton Orient 46 10 6 30 47 87 -40 36
View full League Two table

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