WHEN you step up a level, the fine lines between success and failure become increasingly narrow.

Certainly Exeter City are learning the hard way as their polished, slick brand of football reaped little reward in their first home game back in the Football League

It is true to say you make your own luck in football, but even the harshest observer would have felt a tinge of sympathy for the Grecians on Saturday.

Dominant for large stages of the contest, Paul Tisdale's side were the victims of a classic smash-and-grab raid thanks to Paul Murray's deflected 30-yard second half strike.

Bankrolled by a huge summer spending spree, Paul Simpson's side are one of the favourites for the League Two title this season.

Yet if this is the one of the best outfits the division has to offer, then the Grecians can justifiably claim to be genuine promotion contenders.

The visitors had registered just one shot on target when Murray tried his luck with a long ranger that nestled in the bottom corner.

Up until then City had constantly knocked on the Shrewsbury door, but failed to translate pressure into goals.

It was almost a mirror image of Tuesday night's Carling Cup exit at the hands of Southampton when City carved out enough chances to have caused a shock, only to come up short.

Ryan Harley, who pulled the strings in midfield and served further notice of his growing potential, will wonder how on earth he failed to register his first goal of the season.

An exquisite first half free-kick was touched onto the crossbar by Shrews keeper Luke Daniels and 10 minutes later he rattled the woodwork with an explosive drive.

Sandwiched in between those moments, Richard Logan suffered similar misfortune in front of goal when his deflected header looped up on to the top of the bar and out to safety.

At that stage City were in control although Richard Walker, on loan from Bristol Rovers, brought a fine save out of Paul Jones after Danny Seaborne had inadvertently chested the ball into the striker's path.

After the break City continued to press and ask questions of Shrewsbury's well-oiled rearguard and George Friend made a magnificent burst downfield, only to scoop wildly over the crossbar.

Harley came close again midway through the half after some quick feet on the edge of the box allowed him to let off a shot that was clawed around the post by Daniels.

Then just moments after Logan had a decent shout for a penalty turned down when Grant Holt bundled into him, the unthinkable happened.

Shrewsbury swept upfield and Murray was gifted too much space to drill a stinging drive into the bottom corner.

The Grecians wasted a glorious chance to equalise when Friend's cross fizzed across the face of goal and eluded a clutch of City players.

In the dying moments, City poured forward in an attempt to force a crack in Shrewsbury's brave resistance.

But it was the visitors who looked more likely to add to their advantage as they exploited the gaping holes in the City rearguard.

Holt, who was snapped up from Nottingham Forest for £170,000 over the summer, fired over the crossbar, Ben Davies was denied by Jones and Kevin McIntyre dragged an effort wide.

One point from their first two games might not be the ideal way to announce the club's arrival back in the Football League, but the performances suggest that City will more than hold their own in this division.

And once again it was some of City's youngsters who delivered further evidence of their ability to bridge the gap between the Blue Square Premier and League Two.

Skipper Seaborne was a tower of strength at the back against one of the most feared strikeforces in the section and Friend just seems to be getting better and better.

Last season all the talk was whether the Grecians could keep hold of Jamie Mackie in the face of a flurry of offers for their former striker.

And should Friend continue his meteoric rise, then the club will face another battle to prevent the talented player being lured to a bigger club.

In midfield Harley produced an accomplished display full of drive and purpose capped by some sharp shooting in front of goal.

If there is one complaint about the tactics then striker Logan was dropping far too deep and, at times, Adam Stansfield was an isolated figure up front.

Indeed none of City's roster of six strikers have managed to score in the first three games, emphasising that turning pressure into goals must be the focus. For all their superior possession and slick passing on Saturday, they did not test Shrews keeper Daniels enough.

And while the 4-3-3 formation ensured plenty of possession in the middle of the park, there is an obvious lack of width in the side.

In Tisdale's defence, there are precious few options on the flanks with Dean Moxey not yet fully fit and Neil Saunders confined to the treatment room.

Yet judging by the first three games, there is not a great deal wrong with the Grecians and it is only a matter of time before they register their first win of the campaign.

Exeter City: Jones, Tully, Friend, Seaborne, Taylor, Edwards (Panther, 75), Gill, Harley, Logan (McAllister, 75), Stewart, Stansfield (Basham, 75). Subs not used: Marriott, Sercombe

Shrewsbury Town: Daniels, Herd, Tierney, Langmead, Jackson, Murray (Hibbert, 79), Cahsdell-Sheriff, Davies, McIntyre, Holt, Walker (Hindmarch, 68). Subs not used: Garner, Moss, Humphrey

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