As part of the Express & Echo's build-up to tomorrow's Devon derby at Home Park between Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City, we take a look back at probably the most memorable meeting between the two sides in recent years – the Johnstone Paint Trophy clash of November 9, 2010.
The encounter ended a wait of eight years without the Grecians and Pilgrims playing each other and the tension which had built up in the meantime provoked ugliness on the terraces, but frenetic beauty on the pitch – particularly if you were wearing red and white.
Here is how the Echo's Jon Lewis reported the action…
DANIEL Nardiello struck a dramatic injury-time winner to hand Exeter City a Devon derby win and a place in the southern area semi-finals of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy.
The game seemed destined for penalties when Chris Clark's 40-yard strike equalised Ryan Harley's early opener.
But substitute Nardiello ensured a shootout would not be required when he poked home from 12 yards with just seconds remaining in what was an incredibly intriguing game.
Both clubs had to wait more than eight years for this game to reappear on their fixture lists, so no wonder it started and finished with a bang.
Just two minutes were on the clock when Harley received Richard Logan's lay off and lashed it in left-footed at Romain Larrieu's near post for 1-0.
The Grecians' travelling support needed little encouragement to make plenty of noise – the time was 6.53pm when the first fans into the ground started out-singing their hosts – but they greedily accepted the opportunity to over-indulge themselves in the wake of Harley's effort hitting the back of the net, raising the roof of the away end with their cheers.
And the sight of their side keeping possession comfortably prompted more cries of cocky support from the City faithful – just 17 minutes were on the clock when every pass between a red and white shirt was greeted with wholehearted cheers from the away end.
To say the least, it was not the start Plymouth had been hoping for, coming off the back of their dismal 4-0 beating at the hands of Swindon Town in the FA Cup on Saturday.
So perhaps it was the sound of their support being out sung on the terraces which riled the Pilgrims into action and a flurry of half-chances immediately followed for the hosts.
Argyle targetman Rory Fallon headed over the bar twice in quick succession from presentable chances and it took a lunge from Richard Duffy to deflect the marauding Onismor Bhasera's effort wide.
Yet City continued to look the side more likely to score and Larrieu had to be at his best to repel Harley's low effort from 15 yards with his legs, after the flame-haired midfielder had run on to a clever pass from the lively Jamie Cureton.
Seconds later Harley returned the compliment when his touch allowed Cureton to stab a flick-volley at goal inside the box, but Larrieu was again equal to the attempt.
It was Troy Archibald-Henville who went closest to doubling the visitors' lead three minutes before the break, when his thumping header from Billy Jones' corner crashed against the crossbar and away.
Yet the wind was taken momentarily out of City's sails seven minutes after half-time when the Pilgrims got an equaliser they barely deserved.
A poor clearance from Artur Krysiak on the edge of his box fell to the feet of Plymouth's Clark in the centre circle and the midfielder lobbed the ball back over the goalkeeper and covering defender Duffy and into the net.
It was a mistake which appeared to play on the Pole's mind, as in the remaining 40 minutes he sliced a number of goal kicks directly into touch.
The goal did little to spark Peter Reid's side into life and it was Exeter who continued to create the better chances.
But the equaliser certainly woke some of the darker elements of Argyle's support from their slumber, and several hundred home supporters ensured the stewards and police had a busy night as they crowded the concourse closest to the City fans and sent several missiles, including a flare, raining down on the pitch.
If Paul Tisdale's side were intimidated it wasn't showing, as Harley set Cureton up for a fantastic chance on 62 minutes.
Finding plenty of room in the right hand channel of the penalty box, Cureton turned inside his man but he tried to be too precise with the finish and sent the ball wide of goal.
Moments later Liam Sercombe set Logan up for a carbon copy chance, but the forward's shot was weak and wide.
Former City loanee Craig Noone had a shot saved at the other end but there seemed little stopping the visitors in their quest to end their four-game losing streak.
Cureton's volley from the edge of the box was turned around the post by a stretching Larrieu before both Sercombe and Harley went close with long-range attempts of their own, the second of which provoked vehement penalty appeals from the away side, who thought Karl Duguid had deflected the effort wide with his arm.
Yet Nardiello saved the best for last, latching on to Logan's pass, dropping a shoulder to beat his man and poking the ball into the far corner to send the away end into raptures.
The final whistle sounded seconds after the re-start and the celebrations of the visiting team left little doubt this victory meant as much to them as it did to the hoards behind the goal.
Plymouth Argyle: Larrieu, Duguid, N'Gala, Clark, Nelson (Seip, 78), Bhasera, Bolasie, Noone, Clifford, Fallon (Mason, 76), Wright-Phillips. Subs not used: Patterson, Stephens, Chenoweth
Exeter City: Krysiak, Tully, Duffy, Archibald-Henville, B Jones, Golbourne, Dunne, Sercombe, Harley, Cureton (Nardiello, 85), Logan. Subs not used: Cozic, Edwards, Stewart, P Jones
Match stats (Plymouth first): Shots on target 6–5; Shots off target 4–7; Corners 9–9; Free-kicks conceded 8–9; Offsides 1–4; Bookings 0–1
Attendance: 9,431
Referee: James Linington
