Harambee Stars defender returns from cold to help Exeter get back to winning ways but suffers setback

STARS ABROAD Harambee Stars defender returns from cold to help Exeter get back to winning ways but suffers setback

Mark Kinyanjui 14:02 - 28.01.2024

Harper, who received his maiden Harambee Stars debut last October, shone but had to pull of injured in Exeter's 2-1 win over Barnsley.

Harambee Stars left back Vincent Harper returned from the cold to help Exeter overcome Barnsley in an EFL League one clash on Saturday at Oakwell to end their unbeaten match run.

Harper shone,producing a man-of -the-match display but had to pull out injured in the 64th minute and it remains to be seen whether he will be fit in time for their next game.

The Kenyan left back played like a man possessed as he completed all four of his attempted take ons and won 11 of his 12 attempted ground duels, illustrating his energetic performance bombing up and down the pitch from the left on the afternoon.

Jack Aitchison and Reece Cole both netted first-half goals for their side, while Mael de Givigney scored a late header for the Tykes.

Aitchison broke the deadlock in the 17th minute after the home defence failed to deal with a looping ball, which allowed the former former Barnsley man to control and finish from the right of the box.

Exeter would double their lead in the 31st minute when Cole was afforded space on the edge of the box to curl the ball left of Liam Roberts’s net.

Barnsley could have halved the deficit in the 61st minute when Adam Phillips picked up the ball on the edge of the box and struck the crossbar with a thunderous effort.

They had a couple more opportunities, first through Sam Cosgrove, whose shot  went narrowly wide after a cross by Nicky Cadden, and then another effort over the bar in the 84th minute when the ball fell his way a few yards out.

Neill Collins' side pulled one back in the 87th minute when De Gevigney headed home from inside the box but the visitors held on.

In another EFL match, Clarke Oduor could not help Bradford City avoid defeat to Swindon , as the Bantams lost 2-0 away.

Oduor had a decent, if unspectacular, display over his 76 minutes on the pitch, only registering a shot on target.

Swindon were awarded a penalty after 16 minutes when Paul Glatzel was brought down in the area. Charlie Austin stepped up and emphatically dispatched his third goal in as many games.

Swindon doubled their lead in first-half stoppage time as Glatzel ran through down the right and got away from his marker before giving Dawson Devoy a tap-in at the far post.

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