EXETER City manager Paul Tisdale hopes Saturday's routine 2-1 win over AFC Wimbledon will prove to be the 'lull before the storm' ahead of next week's npower League One kick off.

The Grecians rarely shone against the Blue Square Bet Premier team, who matched the hosts for large parts of the game, particularly in the first half.

New signings Daniel Nardiello and Jamie Cureton scored a goal apiece in either half to settle the friendly, with the lively-looking Jon Main replying for the Dons.

While City created a number of chances during an otherwise uninspiring performance, they never truly looked like killing off the visitors and Main was unlucky not to grab an equaliser for Wimbledon at the death.

Tisdale admitted that on Saturday his players lacked the kind of cutting edge that is normally present during a competitive fixture.

But, with a generally positive pre-season all but over, Tisdale says his squad will be in a good frame of mind to face Colchester United this weekend.

"It was a bit dull," admitted Tisdale. "We weren't bad but just not at our best.

"(The players) are waiting for it all to happen. They want that edge that you get with a league game. I understand that and I know they will be better next week. (Saturday's game) was just a bit of a lull before the storm.

"In many ways it's better to have that than being sparkling and hoping you're going to hang onto that for next week.

"We've had a very good four weeks and I'd like to think we'll pick up a pace or two (against Colchester). It gives something to focus on next week."

While the home side's general play may not have been as penetrative as the City boss would have liked, there were further signs of encouragement for Tisdale to chew over.

Nardiello's 11th-minute strike for instance — virtually the first chance of the game — was the former Blackpool forward's fourth goal of what has been a hugely impressive pre-season campaign.

Collecting the ball from Liam Sercombe, Nardiello held off a challenge from Brett Johnson before bending a pearler into the far corner of Seb Brown's net. If the 27-year-old can maintain his current sharpness then he will prove a key asset for the Grecians this term.

More worrying for Tisdale is the current spate of injuries among his backline. With Matt Taylor and Richard Duffy still missing, Rob Edwards, Billy Jones and Jake Thomson started in the back three.

As against Bristol City last Monday, the makeshift defence struggled against balls into the box, capitalised upon by Main in the 22nd minute as he swept home Lee Minshull's low cross.

If that wasn't warning enough, Main found himself clean through again just two minutes later before screwing his effort wide under pressure from Thomson.

And the Dons went close again just after the half-hour mark when Main saw his close-range snapshot superbly smothered by Paul Jones following a corner.

But while Wimbledon continued to find holes in City's back three, they found themselves increasingly overrun in midfield, with David Noble, Sercombe and Ryan Harley in fine form.

It was Harley's measured throughball three minutes into the second half which presented Nardiello with the chance to add his second.

But the pacy frontman angled his shot just wide. And the striker was similarly unfortunate to see Brown turn away his next effort following a Scott Golbourne cross.

The away side kept pressing when they had a chance, with Paul Jones saving from Main after the Dons forward had turned Billy Jones in the area.

But City gradually got on top as the match became more open, with new signing John O'Flynn growing into the game and firing a number of chances narrowly off target and second half substitutes Jack Furzer and Scott Bennett looking solid at the back.

And Cureton, also on as a replacement, showed he still has his eye for goal, giving the hosts the lead again on 71 minutes with a fierce strike from an acute angle.

The ex-Norwich City man — who will play on non-contract terms for the Grecians until the club can find the money to offer him a more permanent deal — went close again five minutes later, only to see Brown pull off a fine save. The last word went to Paul Jones, who was forced to palm away Main's last-minute effort, as the visitors continued to carry a threat to the end.

But while it wasn't a vintage showing from the hosts, Tisdale was just glad to get the last friendly out of the way so he can concentrate on next week.

"We're more or less where we want to be at this stage and now we're just looking forward to Saturday," he said.

Exeter City: P Jones, Tully (Furzer, 46), Golbourne (Shephard, 75), Edwards (Bennett, 79), B Jones, Harley (Dunne, 75), Noble, Thomson, Sercombe (Cozic, 75), Nardiello (Cureton, 51), O'Flynn (Stewart, 75)

AFC Wimbledon: Brown, Jackson, Yakubu, Johnson, Hatton, Wellard, Kedwell, Main, Jolley, Minshull (Jones, 66), Moore