Grecians secure first away win

Exeter's Daniel Nardiello scored twice as his side registered their first away win in the league this season with a 2-1 success at Walsall.

The Grecians, who also notched their first away goals of the season, took the lead in the eighth minute when Nardiello cleverly dummied past a defender before hammering a rising left-foot drive high into the net. But four minutes later Walsall were level. Alex Nicholls outpaced the Exeter defence in a race for Kevan Hurst's through header and drove a low right-footed shot beyond Exeter goalkeeper Artur Krysiak. Then Manny Smith headed wide from six yards for the Saddlers before Hurst hit a post and Krysiak made a brilliant save from the same player. As half-time approached, James Walker did well to save from Nardiello again, then Liam Sercombe stabbed the ball wide when he should have scored. Jon Macken hit the crossbar for Walsall in the second half, but Nardiello won it for the Grecians in the 78th minute, cutting inside and hitting his seventh goal of the season with a shot Walker blocked but could not prevent from bouncing over the goal-line.