EXETER City bowed out of the Carling Cup with their heads held high despite going down 3-2 to Ipswich Town after extra time at St James's Park last night.

Ryan Harley's 81st-minute stunner took the tie into the extra half-hour after goals from Ronan Murray and David Norris cancelled out the midfielder's nonchalant side-footed opener on 54 minutes.

But former Plymouth Argyle midfielder Norris had the final say when he swept home the rebound after Jon Stead forced Paul Jones into a smart save.

The defeat means City have now gone 21 games without a win in the League Cup.

Yet Paul Tisdale's side will take heart from the way in which they matched their Championship opponents.

After a dull first half in which Matt Taylor sent the best chance over the bar from eight yards, Harley brought the game to life by opening the scoring from 18 yards.

A long ball forward found Nardiello close to the byline on the left wing. A brief scuffle with Troy Brown saw the former Blackpool man come out on top and he pulled it back for the lurking Harley to nonchalantly score with a shot that curled away from Brian Murphy and into the net off the far post.

That signalled the start of an onslaught from the Tractor Boys, who suddenly discovered a sense of urgency. Richard Duffy was required to come to City's rescue twice in the space of 30 seconds from successive corners as he blocked first substitute Ronan Murray's effort and then a piledriver from David Norris

But City could not hold out much longer and Ipswich got a deserved equaliser just nine minutes after the Grecians had gone in front, when Shane O'Connor chipped a good cross in from the right and Murray rose highest in the box to send a looping header over Paul Jones and into the top corner.

Former Premier League striker Stead was inches away from putting the visitors in front on 70 minutes. when a lightening quick counter-attack started by Murray saw Norris set the former Sunderland man up, but his curling effort from 20 yards went wide.

Yet Roy Keane need not have worried as, three minutes later, his side were in front. More good work from impressive 18-year-old Murray saw him beat his man before he perfectly teed Norris up to drive low and hard past Jones at his near post.

But City hit back out of nothing, when Harley curled a fantastic goal in off the crossbar from 20 yards to make it 2-2.

From nowhere the Grecians had grabbed the momentum and Marcus Stewart, who had come on moments earlier to a fantastic reception, came closer than anyone to grabbing a winner when he beat Tommy Smith to a Jones goalkick, only for the big defender to recover just in time to get in a goal-saving tackle.

The visitors might have snatched a winner themselves at the other end, when Billy Jones brought Murray down on the edge of the box and was lucky to not see red, or even get booked, as a result. But Grant Leadbitter's free-kick was blocked by the wall and the game went to extra time.

Scott Golbourne should have put the hosts back in front eight minutes into extra time, when he rose unmarked at the far post to meet Billy Jones' cross, but somehow managed to nod it over the bar from six yards.

And the Grecians were made to rue that miss when Ipswich went straight up the other end and scored to go 3-2 up.

Murray, the thorn in City's side, put Stead through on goal and, although he failed to score after two bites at the cherry, the second effort deflected into the path of Norris, who made no mistake.

Yet still the game showed no sign of petering out and Richard Logan forced Murphy into a brilliant save shortly after the re-start.

Stead should have put the issue beyond doubt in the second half of extra time, but the wiry striker scuffed a tame shot into the arms of Jones.

City's hopes of sending the tie into a penalty shootout were dashed when Nardiello fired wastefully over the top and Harley was hustled out of his shooting stride on the edge of the box.

The first 10 minutes of the first half hinted at the classic cup-tie which was to follow, as poor defending from City allowed Stead to get on the end of a goal kick and shoot across the face of goal.

Steve Tully then fired over the bar after good work by Liam Sercombe 60 seconds later.

But for the remainder of the half there was little to write home about, as both sides conceded possession at will.

The best chance of the half fell to Taylor, but he contrived to head Ryan Harley's 25th minute corner over the bar from eight yards.

In fairness City finished the half the better side and John O'Flynn had the ball in the net when he finished a sweeping team move built by Harley and Nardiello, but the linesman's flag cut the hosts' celebrations short.

Exeter Express & Echo