Back and proud

Rage Online is back online, albeit with one or two problems which we hope to have ironed out as soon as possible. During the few days that we were offline not a lot happened that was newsworthy. The Yellow Brick Wall was finally erected, and not in the East Stand concourse which represents something of a victory for the fledgling OxVox trust, which lobbied strongly to have it located where all United supporters would be able to see it. The reserves drew 2-2 with QPR at Court Place Farm, with goals from Scott Guyett and Norman Sylla. The Youth Team beat Cirencester 1-0 to leave themselves just one victory from clinching the Football League Youth Alliance South West Conference Under 19 title, which they clinched yesterday with a 1-0 win over Bristol Rovers, thanks to a goal from Norman Sylla, who just can't stop scoring and is surely due a run out for the first team before the season's end.

The colour purple

United lost another home game, this time to the purple clad Grecians, 2-1. Andy Roscoe opened the scoring for the away team after 20 minutes but Joey Beauchamp, making his first start at the Kassam Stadium, equalised with a fine volley after 33 minutes. Andy Scott then blasted a penalty over the bar after Phil Gray was brought down, just before half time. After 50 minutes Roscoe restored Exeter's lead direct from a wind-assisted free kick.

United made a couple of changes from the side which beat Lincoln the previous week. Andy Crosby hadn't recovered from the knock he received in that game and so Dave Morley moved into the centre of defence and Sam Ricketts started at right back. In midfield Dean Whitehead dropped to the bench, with Robert Quinn starting the game, and Chris Hackett likewise was named a substitute in order to make way for Beauchamp. The Us' first substitution saw Paul Moody replace Phil Gray up front on the hour mark, four minutes after which Beauchamp made way for Hackett. Quinn went off for Whitehead after 76 minutes.

The referee MJ Jones didn't book any United players, not even Quinn. The attendance was 6,051, despite it all, and a match report can be found here.

United have now slipped to 18th in the table, thankfully still twelve points above Halifax, who lost 1-0 at home to Swansea. Exeter have climbed to twelfth. League leaders Plymouth beat Kidderminster 2-1, but unfortunately Luton also won, 2-1 against York to go second, following Mansfield's 3-0 defeat at Shrewsbury. Leyton Orient are now second from bottom following their 1-0 defeat at Rushden, but they are still six points above the Shaymen. United's next opponents, Macclesfield Town, won 1-0 at Hull on Friday.

Darren Purse, subject of much transfer speculation this week, scored Birmingham's first in their 3-2 win over Watford at St Andrews. Howard Forinton scored Peterborough's opener in their 2-2 draw at home to Oldham.