IF REVENGE is a dish best served cold then a chilly KitKat Crescent served as the perfect setting for Exeter City to defeat the Minstermen less than two weeks after being beaten - arguably unluckily - by Billy McEwan's men in Devon.

The manner of Saturday's defeat, with two goals conceded from corners, will have also given McEwan food for thought as he continues to learn more about his players by the passing of each match.

City's first-half display was close to the standards set during Tuesday night's 2-1 victory over runaway leaders Barnet.

The football was again refreshingly entertaining and, unlike in Exeter when the home team managed nine times more goal attempts than City, McEwan's team were creating chances.

In the second half, though, a reminder of past failings was provided as substitute Paul Robinson managed the only home shot in 45 minutes and that harmless 86th-minute effort landed on top of the David Longhurst Stand.

Andy Bishop limping off after 53 minutes did not help the home team's cause.

City's top scorer, with his ability to hold up the ball, is crucial to the effectiveness of McEwan's 4-5-1 formation.

His replacement - on-loan Doncaster striker Ben Jackson - proved to be a game runner but, without Bishop to feed off, wide men Paul D Robinson and Dave Merris were largely anonymous during the second period and City spent long periods unable to get out of their own half.

Prior to Bishop's departure, the Minstermen were more than holding their own against the play-off contenders although there was an early let-off when Lee Phillips headed over from six yards after just two minutes.

At the other end, the home team posed a real attacking threat although sometimes lacked a cutting edge with Bishop and Paul D Robinson both guilty of passing when taking a shot could have brought greater reward.

Merris, who is having to adjust quickly to finding himself in front of goal on a more regular basis, also missed an excellent chance on 21 minutes, charging into the box but sidefooting wide from eight yards after Bishop had pulled the ball back from the byline.

The game ebbed and flowed with Exeter then going close at the other end, Phillips escaping the attentions of Graeme Law but shooting wide of an exposed Chris Porter's goal.

Bishop then headed against a post from two yards after Darren Dunning's cross before Jon Maloney broke the deadlock with his second goal in successive matches.

The on-loan Doncaster defender profited from a poor punch by Exeter keeper Paul Jones, heading in from a yard out after Kevin Donovan had worked a short corner with Merris.

Crucially, though, City failed to take that lead into the interval.

The officials indicated that there would be one minute of stoppage time to be played and Exeter took full advantage of that extra 60 seconds, winning a corner that Alex Jeannin delivered to the near post where Jake Edwards ghosted in between Byron Webster and Shaun Smith to head into the roof of Porter's net.

Exeter then started the second half strongly and capitalised on the significant wind behind their backs.

Phillips shot wastefully wide after hesitance between Paul Groves and Porter but he made amends on 63 minutes.

Jeannin swung in a corner, this time to the far post where Phillips and a team-mate both jumped up with Porter.

When Phillips' header found the net, Porter complained to referee Amy Rayner that he had been fouled hoping to benefit from the usual protection offered to goalkeepers in such situations but the first female to take charge of a Minstermen match waved away his protests.

Porter prevented his team from losing by a heavier margin, however, when he turned Marcus Martin's low 89th-minute shot around a post.

Match facts:

Nationwide Conference

Saturday, March 5, 2005

at KitKat Crescent

York City 1, (Maloney 38)

Exeter 2, (Edwards 45, Phillips 63)

City ratings:

Key: 10 - Faultless; 9 - Outstanding; 8 - Excellent; 7 - Good; 6 - Average; 5 - Below par; 4 - Poor; 3 - Dud; 2 - Hopeless; 1 - Retire

Porter 6

Law 6

Maloney 8

Groves 7

Smith 6

Donovan 6

Dunning 7 (Paul Robinson 80)

Webster 6

Merris 6

Bishop 7 (Jackson 53, 6)

Paul D Robinson 6

Subs not used: Stockdale, Yalcin, Grant.

Star man: Maloney - usual resilience at the back and scored his second in as many matches

Exeter: Jones, Hiley, Sawyer, Todd, Jeannin, Afful (Sheldon 86), Ampadu, Taylor, Martin, Edwards (Devine 81), Phillips (Flack 80). Subs not used: Gaia, Rice.

Yellow cards: Jeannin 90.

Red cards: None.

Referee: Amy Rayner (Loughborough). Rating: Authoritative and made clear decisions. Positive step for fight against sexual discrimination.

Attendance: 2,272.

Weather watch: Windy and cold with showers of driving sleet and rain.

Game breaker: As the old clich goes, the worst time to concede a goal is just before the interval.

Match rating: Absorbing first half but City faded after Bishop's departure and Exeter looked the better team.

Player watch: Jon Maloney

Shots on target: 1.

Shots off target: 0.

Blocked shots: 0.

Passes to own player: 6.

Passes to opposition: 1.

Crosses to own player: 0.

Crosses to opposition: 0.

Pass success rate: 85.7 per cent.

Dribbles ball retained: 1. Dribbles ball lost: 2.

Dribble success rate: 33.3 per cent.

Headers: 10. Tackles: 11. Offsides: 0.

Clearances, blocks and interceptions: 15.

Free kicks won: 3. Free-kicks conceded: 0. Bookings: 0.

Final summary: Jon Maloney's 11 tackles and 15 clearances speaks volumes about his no-nonsense, committed style of defending. He also distributed the ball well and his goal saw him prove again that he is a menace at set-pieces.

Updated: 11:02 Monday, March 07, 2005