Carling Cup fails to refresh City

Exeter got well and truly tanked by QPR in the first round of the Carling Cup the other night. The final result was 5-0. After a promising first half and signs of hope towards the beginning of the second, everything started to unravel after the first Rangers goal. The nadir was nigh (so to speak) when Scott Golbourne was sent off for handball just after the hour.

The Hoops played some superb, flowing football when the pressure was off, and Wayne Routledge was thoroughly deserving of his hat-trick. For some reason he reminds me of Danny Wallace. It was good to see Grecian fans in the stand applauding their tormentor-in-chief when he was substituted, and even better to hear the Big Bank cheering relentlessly even as City stared a mighty beating in the face.

Some of QPR's play in the final third of the game was a joy to behold - but Exeter manager Paul Tisdale was not smiling. He remains upbeat about the challenge of League One, though. Next up are Norwich City, who have just canned their boss Bryan Gunn after seven months (and a relegation and a 7-1 thrashing) in charge at Carrow Road. His last result for the Canaries was a 4-0 win over Yeovil Town, who come to Exeter next Tuesday night.
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