Former Forest Green goalkeeper Jonny Maxted’s masterclass helped second-place Exeter start the new decade with a 1-0 Sky Bet League Two victory to underpin their automatic promotion hopes.

Maxted kept Rovers at bay, saving Liam Shephard’s second-half penalty as the 10 men of Exeter shut the door after Nigel Atangana, who had given the Grecians a first-half lead, was sent off in the opening minutes of the second-half for a lunge on Kevin Dawson.

Atangana handed the Grecians the lead after five minutes – picking his spot from outside the box after the all-action Nicky Law had teed him up, the former Cheltenham midfielder placing his shot beyond the flat-footed Adam Smith with unnerving precision.

Rovers were on the ropes – Law slalomed through a statuesque defence to watch his deflected strike clip the top of the bar.

Rovers were handed a numerical advantage with Atangana off just 60 seconds into the second period and they were handed a penalty when Jack Aitchison was floored by Aaron Martin, but Maxted spared his blushes to repel Liam Shephard’s 57th-minute kick.

Maxted was inspired as he denied Carl Winchester and then superbly gloved a point-blank Junior Mondal strike wide of the goal.