Exeter City suffered a surprise 2-1 defeat at the hands of Bristol Rovers at St James Park yesterday.

David Clarkson gave the visitors the lead after just five minutes when he hooked in from Tom Parkes' long ball.

The Grecians levelled on the stroke of half-time through 37-year-old ex-Rovers striker Jamie Cureton, who slotted in past stranded keeper Neil Etheridge.

But substitute Eliot Richards secured the Pirates' first win of the season when his soft strike slipped past goalkeeper Artur Krysiak.

Exeter were forced to play the final ten minutes of the game with ten men after Scot Bennett was stretchered off the field.