Exeter moved out of the relegation zone with a well-deserved victory over mid-table Walsall.
The home side scored with their first attack when Matt Taylor headed in Ryan Harley's delivery at the back post.
Harley missed a great chance to extend their lead before making amends with a penalty after a foul on Barry Corr.
Walsall got a goal back when a long throw found its way to Julian Gray, who side-footed home, and they pressed for the equaliser but Exeter held firm.
Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale speaks to BBC Radio Devon:
"I am very pleased with everything they did today.
"When you go two goals up, you know there'll be a shift, but we stuck at it and everyone played their part.
"We had great support and I think there's 5,500 people leaving happy today.
"We're getting more and more pragmatic, we've been efficient, today at times there was a real pattern to our play."
Live text and stats
Saturday, 27 March 2010
League One
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Exeter
2-1
Walsall
FT
(HT 1-0)
Taylor 4
Harley (pen) 58
Gray 62
Exeter
27 Jones
02 Tully yellow card
03 Duffy
06 Taylor yellow card
15 Edwards yellow card
48 Friend
07 Harley
21 Dunne
22 Sercombe
12 Corr (Logan 71)
16 Stewart
Substitutes
01 Marriott,
11 Golbourne,
14 Cozic,
28 Burnell,
20 Logan,
45 Fleetwood,
51 Taylor
Walsall
21 Gilmartin
02 Weston
03 Sansara
14 Taundry
19 Vincent yellow card
06 Smith yellow card
15 O'Keefe (Byfield 62)
24 Gray
07 Jones (Till 81)
10 Deeney
11 Nicholls
Substitutes
01 Ince,
16 Westlake,
12 Bradley,
18 Till,
09 Parkin,
22 Grigg,
27 Byfield
Ref: KettleAtt: 5,887
EXETER
WALSALL
Possession
Exeter50%
Walsall50%
Attempts on target
Exeter2
Walsall4
Attempts off target
Exeter3
Walsall4
Corners
Exeter3
Walsall7
Fouls
Exeter17
Walsall8
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+5:12 The referee brings the game to a close.
90:00+4:15 Booking The referee cautions Jamie Vincent for unsporting behaviour.
90:00+3:19 Richard Taundry has an effort at goal from outside the penalty box which goes wide right of the target.
90:00+2:13 Unfair challenge on Marcus Stewart by Netan Sansara results in a free kick. Ryan Harley takes the free kick.
89:25 Booking The referee books Steve Tully for time wasting.
89:17 Booking Emmanuele Smith is shown a yellow card for dissent.
86:28 Effort from the edge of the box by Ryan Harley goes wide of the left-hand post.
85:32 Darren Byfield gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Richard Duffy. Paul Jones takes the free kick.
84:05 Unfair challenge on Paul Jones by Troy Deeney results in a free kick. Paul Jones takes the free kick.
83:27 Julian Gray fouled by Ryan Harley, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Richard Taundry.
80:30 Substitution (Walsall) makes a substitution, with Peter Till coming on for Steve Jones.
80:11 Shot from just outside the box by Liam Sercombe misses to the left of the target.
78:42 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Richard Logan by Emmanuele Smith. Paul Jones takes the free kick.
75:02 Corner taken by Julian Gray, Rob Edwards manages to make a clearance.
71:32 Unfair challenge on Netan Sansara by Richard Logan results in a free kick. Julian Gray takes the direct free kick.
70:29 Substitution Barry Corr goes off and Richard Logan comes on.
69:00 Corner taken by Julian Gray from the left by-line, clearance by Barry Corr.
68:17 Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Julian Gray.
67:20 James Dunne concedes a free kick for a foul on Richard Taundry. Julian Gray takes the direct free kick.
64:35 Barry Corr challenges Emmanuele Smith unfairly and gives away a free kick. Rene Gilmartin takes the direct free kick.
61:59 Substitution Darren Byfield on for Josh O'Keefe.
61:15 GOAL - Julian Gray:Exeter 2 - 1 Walsall Julian Gray finds the net with a goal from the edge of the penalty box to the bottom right corner of the goal. Exeter 2-1 Walsall.
58:24 Liam Sercombe concedes a free kick for a foul on Richard Taundry. Rhys Weston takes the free kick.
57:31 GOAL - Ryan Harley:Exeter 2 - 0 Walsall Ryan Harley scores a power penalty. Exeter 2-0 Walsall.
56:27 Unfair challenge on Barry Corr by Jamie Vincent results in a Penalty.
55:24 Troy Deeney takes a shot. Paul Jones makes a save.
54:00 Steve Tully has an effort at goal from just outside the box which goes wide of the right-hand upright.
53:27 Booking The referee shows Rob Edwards a yellow card.
52:52 Unfair challenge on Rob Edwards by Troy Deeney results in a free kick. Paul Jones takes the free kick.
51:43 Free kick taken by Richard Taundry.
51:43 Booking Matthew Taylor goes into the referee's book for unsporting behaviour.
51:37 Foul by Matthew Taylor on Steve Jones, free kick awarded.
49:41 Steve Tully gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Netan Sansara. Julian Gray takes the direct free kick.
48:12 Free kick awarded for a foul by George Friend on Troy Deeney. Richard Taundry takes the direct free kick.
45:01 The second half begins.
Half Time
45:00+2:19 The whistle is blown to end the first half.
45:00+1:50 Ryan Harley takes a shot. Emmanuele Smith gets a block in.
45:00+0:21 Barry Corr is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Rene Gilmartin takes the direct free kick.
43:50 Julian Gray is ruled offside. Paul Jones takes the direct free kick.
42:43 Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Julian Gray from the right by-line to the near post, clearance by George Friend.
41:12 Corner taken by Julian Gray from the left by-line to the near post, Header from deep inside the penalty area by Troy Deeney goes harmlessly over the crossbar.
40:36 Julian Gray takes a inswinging corner to the near post, Paul Jones makes a save.
37:38 Alex Nicholls has an effort at goal from just outside the penalty box which goes wide of the left-hand post.
37:08 Netan Sansara takes a shot. Save made by Paul Jones.
36:18 Corner taken left-footed by Julian Gray to the near post, clearance made by Steve Tully.
36:05 Rhys Weston takes a shot. Save by Paul Jones.
33:09 Jamie Vincent fouled by Marcus Stewart, the ref awards a free kick. Rene Gilmartin restarts play with the free kick.
32:39 Free kick awarded for a foul by Alex Nicholls on Matthew Taylor. Paul Jones takes the direct free kick.
31:41 Unfair challenge on Jamie Vincent by Barry Corr results in a free kick. Rene Gilmartin takes the free kick.
25:26 Richard Taundry challenges James Dunne unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Rob Edwards.
22:53 Unfair challenge on Emmanuele Smith by George Friend results in a free kick. Rene Gilmartin takes the free kick.
21:14 The assistant referee flags for offside against Marcus Stewart. Rene Gilmartin restarts play with the free kick.
19:06 Julian Gray fouled by Steve Tully, the ref awards a free kick. Julian Gray takes the direct free kick.
16:11 George Friend challenges Troy Deeney unfairly and gives away a free kick. Richard Taundry takes the direct free kick.
15:37 Foul by George Friend on Rhys Weston, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Rene Gilmartin.
12:29 Unfair challenge on Richard Taundry by James Dunne results in a free kick. Rhys Weston restarts play with the free kick.
9:15 Corner taken by Ryan Harley, clearance by Troy Deeney.
8:48 Ryan Harley takes a outswinging corner from the right by-line played to the near post, clearance by Rhys Weston.
7:34 Shot from just outside the area by Richard Taundry goes over the bar.
6:22 Marcus Stewart gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Netan Sansara. Free kick taken by Rene Gilmartin.
3:53 Assist by Ryan Harley.
3:53 GOAL - Matthew Taylor:Exeter 1 - 0 Walsall Matthew Taylor grabs a headed goal from inside the six-yard box. Exeter 1-0 Walsall.
3:03 Ryan Harley takes the inswinging corner,
1:32 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Alex Nicholls by Barry Corr. Rhys Weston takes the direct free kick.
0:32 The offside flag is raised against George Friend. Direct free kick taken by Rene Gilmartin.
0:00 The referee gets the game started.
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