Exeter City Beat Huddersfield Town 2-1 to Reach FA Cup Second Round
Exeter City have won at Huddersfield Town, beating the League One leaders 2-1 to move into the second round of the FA Cup.
The Emirates FA Cup is the oldest knockout competition in football, and it is open to clubs at every level of the English pyramid. Exeter play in League Two, the fourth tier, while Huddersfield were top of League One, the third tier, when the two met. Clubs lower down the ladder often fancy their chances in the first round, and this was one of 40 ties played between 6 and 9 November.
The match was played at the Accu Stadium on Saturday, with a 3pm kick-off. Tickets for the Huddersfield fixture were priced at £10, according to the home club.
Exeter took the lead early. Jack Taylor scored after 12 minutes, according to the Exeter City report, and the visitors had a goal to protect for most of the afternoon. Huddersfield had the home crowd behind them, but Exeter held their shape.
The winner came late. Charlie Cummins struck in the closing stages to make it 2-1, and the goal was enough to settle the tie. It is the sort of moment that cup football is built around: a team that has been defending for an hour suddenly has the game in its hands.
Exeter's manager, Matt Taylor, spoke after the game about the win. The club's website carried his reaction to the result. The mood around the club was clearly upbeat, though the trip to Yorkshire came only a week after a 2-1 defeat away to Salford City, so the squad had little time to dwell on either result.
For a League Two side, a second-round place is a useful prize. It means another home or away tie, another chance to test themselves against stronger opposition, and a share of the money that the competition brings to clubs further down the pyramid. For Huddersfield, it is a disappointing way to end the first round, especially as they had been playing at the top of League One.
Cup upsets are rarely a surprise to the people who follow the smaller clubs. They still make the headlines, and they still give supporters a day they will remember. Exeter's fans will have plenty to talk about this week.
