Exeter City suffered another heavy defeat as the Grecians’ poor recent form continued. It is now just one point from the last eight games after City were beaten 4-1 away to Stevenage.

The Grecians took the lead with only two minutes on the clock. Ed Francis’ shot was handled, and the referee awarded a penalty. Josh Magennis sent the goalkeeper the wrong way as City led. It was as good as it got.

The lead lasted just eight minutes though. Eli King, who had given the penalty away, pounced on a defensive error, before finishing sweetly. And with 17 minutes gone, Stevenage led. Cheick Diabate gave the ball away and while an initial effort was cleared off the line, Jordan Roberts smashed home the rebound.

READ MORE: Exeter City have to get things right and turn bad run around

READ MORE: Hartpury RFC vs Exeter Chiefs team news: Rob Baxter names strong squad for away day

Dan Kemp sealed the win 15 minutes from time when he fired home on the rebound after his initial effort was blocked. Roberts with his second of the game ended any slight hope City had with a fourth in the latter stages.

It is just one point from the last 24 available for Exeter, who have taken just 10 points from the last 16 games, and conceded 13 goals in the space of the last seven days. City stay 17^th in the League One table, but are increasingly looking over their shoulder and hoping the now just seven point gap to the relegation zone doesn’t narrow any more. Stevenage with their win rose to 11^th.

After the 6-2 defeat on Tuesday night at home to Leyton Orient, Gary Caldwell made three changes to the Exeter City side. In came a fit-again Vincent Harper, loanee Tony Yogane was given a first start, while Alex Hartridge, who returned to St James Park on loan this week, was also named in the starting line-up.

Out dropped Jake Richards and Jack Aitchison, neither of whom were in the matchday squad. Millenic Alli, who scored twice in that defeat as is City’s top scorer, was unavailable having joined Championship side Luton Town for £1.5m on Thursday. Ryan Trevitt, who returned on loan from Brentford this week as well, was on the bench.

City needed to start better than they have in recent games, and what a start they had. With 40 seconds on the clock, Yogane slipped in Ilmari Niskanen who was clean through on goal. The Finn squared it to Caleb Watts and his shot was blocked. It rebounded to Francis, whose effort was stopped by the hand of King.

Referee Ollie Yates pointed to the spot instantly and booked the Boro man. Up stepped Josh Magennis to take the penalty, and the skipper sent Murphy Cooper the wrong way to score his eighth goal of the season and give Caldwell’s men the dream start.

Roberts flashed a short wide of the post with Stevenage’s first effort as they were stunned by City’s opener. But in the tenth minute, the hosts drew level in the simplest of circumstances. Diabate’s ball to Francis was poor and King pounced on it. He played a one-two with Louis Appere, before drilling a low finish past Joe Whitworth to make it 1-1. It has been 18 games now for City without a clean sheet.

And with 17 minutes gone, City were behind, and again, it was a terrible piece of defending. Jack McMillan’s ball to Diabate wasn’t the best, but the centre-back’s touch was woeful and Dan Kemp robbed him. He rounded Whitworth and while Hartridge cleared the effort off the line, Roberts was able to smash home the rebound to make it 2-1.

After a frantic opening, the game settled down. Ryan Woods saw a free-kick well saved, while Niskanen couldn’t quite pick out a man on the break after a good City move. Dan Sweeney for Alex Revell’s men meanwhile poked wide from a curling free-kick he got on the end of. Kemp then forced a good save out of Whitworth from close range.

Yogane and Magennis just couldn’t get on the end of a bouncing Niskanen cross in stoppage-time City went in 2-1 behind and in the game, despite not really playing that well.

Caldwell made one change at the break, with Trevitt replacing Watts, and the Brentford loanee had an early chance when a shot was blocked. It broke to Francis, but he slipped when shooting, and the effort went well over the crossbar. Kemp for the hosts flashed a shot just wide.

City though were the side in the ascendency, even if the chances weren’t flowing. A series of corners were well defended by Boro. Demetri Mitchell replaced Niskanen just after the hour, then Joel Colwill for Harper, who had picked up a knock.

Jamie Reid thought he had won a penalty for Boro when he went down under a challenge from Hartridge, but the referee waved the appeals away. The former Grecian then set up Kemp with a delightful cutback, but Whitworth made a fingertip save to keep the deficit to just one.

Pat Jones and Jay Bird replaced Yogane and Magennis with Caldwell’s final changes. But seconds after the changes, Stevenage got the third goal which surely wrapped up victory. City felt they should have had a free-kick for a foul on Woods, but nothing was given. Kemp danced into the box and while his first shot was blocked by Hartridge, the rebound fell to him and with Whitworth out of position having dived for the original effort, he slotted home. Caldwell was booked for his protests.

It was soon four, and a catalogue of errors again. Francis and Hartridge both went up for the same header, and were both beaten by a Stevenage man. Reid skipped past Diabate’s attempted challenge all too easily, and laid it off for Roberts who finished with aplomb.

Dan Phillips nearly made it five with a powerful strike which Whitworth did well to keep out. Reid saw a late free-kick blocked, but it mattered little as they had comfortably done enough for all three points, and City were long since beaten.

Up next for Exeter City… Premier League Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup fourth round on Tuesday, February 11. With Forest third in the top flight and having put seven past Brighton today, City will have to be a lot better.

Exeter City: Joe Whitworth, Jack McMillan, Cheick Diabate, Alex Hartridge, Ilmari Niskanen (Demetri Mitchell, 63), Ryan Woods, Ed Francis, Vincent Harper (Joel Colwill, 68), Caleb Watts (Ryan Trevitt, 45), Tony Yogane (Pat Jones, 75), Josh Magennis (Jay Bird, 75)

Subs: Shaun MacDonald, Ed James

Booking: Diabate, Caldwell