STANLEY boss John Coleman was hoping he could sit back tomorrow and watch other results filter through with the Reds celebrating a win.

Instead it was Exeter who took advantage of an early kick off as Paul Tisdale’s side moved closer to the play-off picture.

It was a blow to the Reds who scored two superb goals from John O’Sullivan and Shay McCartan in a lively match - but they were underdone by three wonder strikes.

Exeter youth products Liam Sercombe, Tom Nichols and Matt Grimes were the goal heroes who settled the contest.

Stanley named the same starting XI as the team that overcame Cambridge on Saturday with only one change on the bench – Lee Molyneux dropped out for family reasons and Anthony Barry came in.

It was a clash of two in-form teams with Exeter, who had lost just one of their 12 previous League Two games, facing Stanley, who had won four on the bounce at the Store First Stadium.

On a chilly evening, Grecians manager Tisdale warmed himself to the Exeter fans who had made the long trip for the 7pm kick off by chatting to them pre-match.

Blackburn Rovers loanee John O’Sullivan fired into keeper James Hamon’s arms in the first half, while Nicholls found the side netting for the Grecians.

Stanley striker Matt Crooks tried a cheeky back-heel but it was wide while, just before the half hour mark, came a bizarre incident.

Referee Andy Haines blew his whistle and took himself off with fourth official Ricky Wootton coming on to the cries of ‘you’re not fit to referee’ – which Haines obviously wasn’t.

Captain Luke Joyce, on his 250th appearance for Stanley, was on the hunt for a goal to celebrate his landmark but one effort was well over the bar while another was blocked.

Then it was stop-start as Exeter’s David Noble took a blow to the head and had to have his cut bandaged while O’Sullivan also had treatment for a head injury.

With the board held up for five minutes of injury time, a cross by Craig Woodman was met by Sercombe who blasted home a superb volley - his first goal of the season.

And, within four minutes of the re-start, Stanley really did have an uphill battle when Nichols was allowed space to fire goalwards from 20 yards.

Coleman introduced McCartan and, on 65 minutes, they were back in it when O’Sullivan got the ball 30 yards out and found the top corner of the net with a superb strike.

But four minutes later Exeter won a free kick 30 yards out and Grimes blasted the ball beyond Jack Rose to make it 3-1.

There was hardly time to draw breath when Stanley were back in it again when sub McCartan got the ball, raced forward and fired it beyond Hamon on 73 minutes.

The Reds pressed for a leveller and threw everything at Exeter but it was Tisdale who will enjoy watching tomorrow’s results more than Coleman.