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Manchester City demolished Exeter City 10-1 in the FA Cup third round at St James Park, with new signing Antoine Semenyo marking his debut with a goal following his £65 million transfer from Bournemouth. Max Alleyne opened the scoring after 12 minutes before Rodri’s 30-yard strike and two own goals sealed a comprehensive victory that sends City into the fourth round.
Manchester City Demolish Exeter City 10-1 as Semenyo Marks Debut With Goal
Pep Guardiola watched from the stands while serving a touchline ban as his strong XI, captained by Rodri, established dominance within minutes. Academy product Max Alleyne opened the scoring after 12 minutes, reacting sharply to poke the ball over the line before Rodri’s spectacular 30-yard strike effectively ended the contest as a competition. Two unfortunate own goals from Jake Doyle Hayes and Jack Fitzwater before half-time deepened Exeter’s troubles and underlined the relentlessness of City’s pressure.
Antoine Semenyo was handed his debut just days after completing his £65 million move from Bournemouth, thrown straight into the starting lineup where he offered directness and composure. His influence proved decisive after the break when Rico Lewis converted from Semenyo’s cross before the Ghanaian forward marked his debut with a composed finish of his own. The performance hinted at why City moved quickly to secure him, displaying a blend of physical presence and calm execution.
The second half became an exercise in damage limitation for Exeter as City’s rotation options continued to deliver. Tijjani Reijnders curled home a finish while Nico O’Reilly headed in another goal before Ryan McAidoo drilled home to extend the lead. Despite the avalanche of goals, Exeter found a moment of pride when 19-year-old George Birch struck a fine late consolation that was greeted warmly by the 7,800 travelling supporters.
Rico Lewis completed the scoring by smashing in City’s tenth goal to seal the 10-1 result and secure progression to the FA Cup fourth round. Exeter had shown early promise when Liam Oakes came close inside five minutes, his header forcing a sharp save from James Trafford, but City’s intensity and quality proved overwhelming. For Exeter, the scoreline was brutal but the experience of reaching this stage will linger far longer than the numbers on the scoresheet.
