Exeter earn Anfield replay against Klopp’s kids after FA Cup draw

Fab first-half

Grecians academy product Nichols got on the end of Josh Read’s right-wing cross to slide in the opener, as a rusty looking Jose Enrique lacked the pace or presence to cut this out playing out of position.

Exeter’s lead was short-lived, however, and inside 12 minutes Liverpool were level. Sinclair snapped up his first senior goal as the ball ricocheted around the hosts’ penalty area and bounced off Christian Benteke, plus a Grecians defender.

A narrow setup from Tisdale’s team appeared to inhibit Exeter at times, though they went on the offensive late in the first-half with Christian Ribeiro heading wide from Holmes’ centre.

The Grecians profited from Reds stopper Adam Bogdan’s weakness at set-pieces to re-establish at half-time lead. Holmes, who was once the youngest FA Cup debutant aged 15 during his days at Derby County, saw a corner kick go all the way into the net in stoppage time.

Second-half survival

Indebted to number one Bobby Olejnik when the Exeter keeper tipped a Benteke header over from Cameron Branagan’s cross, the hosts held out until a costly Aron Davies slip 17 minutes from time.

That forced Jordan Moore-Taylor to clear Liverpool sub Sheyi Ojo’s ball into the box, but only as far as Smith who duly equalised. Klopp’s Reds found no further way through, so will have yet another January game to play.

Liverpool remain in the hunt for FA Cup glory, and Coral have them down as 15/2 chances to lift the trophy.

Who says romance is dead? The Grecians bridged a wide gulf of some 75 places in English league football between their bottom tier selves and top-flight opposition. That is the magic of the FA Cup!

Related

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