Exeter City and Cambridge United should be getting started in 30 minutes; Exeter City: Pym; Davies, Oakley, Moore-Taylor, Woodman; McAllister, Butterfield, Sercombe, Harley; Nicholls, Nichols. Subs: Hamon, Keohane, Ribeiro, Tillson, Wheeler, Morrison, Cummins. Cambridge United: Dunn; Tait, Nelson, Coulson, Taylor; Kaikai, Champion, Hunt, Donaldson; Simpson, Slew. Subs: Norris, Miller, Ball, Chadwick, Akintunde, Bird, Chiedozie Tonight will also mark Liam Sercombe's 250th senior team appearance for Exeter City .
EXETER CITY 2 - Cambridge Utd. 2 Exeter City came from two goals down to earn a point at home to Cambridge United as battling and attacking last half hour of the game was rewarded. The Grecians had been poor and lacklustre for the first hour of the game, but a double change from manager Paul Tisdale reaped its reward as substitute David Wheeler scored the equalising goal with two minutes to go. The draw ultimately harmed City’s promotion push, with them losing ground on arch-rivals Plymouth Argyle who won at high-flying Wycombe Wanderers to go into the top seven. However, City will have taken heart from their rousing fightback. Paul Tisdale made just the one change from the side that started the 1-1 draw at Bury on Saturday, recalling Ryan Harley at the expense of Clinton Morrison. Cambridge began the match brightly, winning a couple of free-kicks around the Exeter penalty area and playing most of the opening 10 minutes of the match in City’s half. Sullay Kaikai sent a shot narrowly wide before Robbie Simpson’s swerving right-foot effort, from 30 yards out, dipped just too late to find the top corner of City’s net. The Grecians came into the game on 24 minutes as Liam Sercombe, making his 250th appearance for City, tested United keeper Chris Dunn with a shot from distance. The big moment of the first half for City then came as Tom Nichols got himself in on goal, but was tripped just short of the penalty area by Josh Coulson. However, despite appearing to be the last defender, the Cambridge centre back escaped with a yellow card. Coulson then nearly rubbed salt into Exeter’s wounds as he headed towards goal from a corner 10 minutes later, but City keeper Christy Pym managed to smother the ball on the goal line. Cambridge were ahead a minute later though as Simpson picked up Kaikai’s pass from the right, turned Jordan Moore-Taylor and fired a shot in off the inside of the post. Tisdale made on change at the start of the second half bringing on Christian Ribeiro for Jamie McAllister. That saw Danny Butterfield move out of defence into the holding midfield role as a result. However, the change had little impact, and Cambridge were 2-0 up on 49 minutes as Johnny Hunt’s cross was turned into his own net by Craig Woodman. The next 10 minutes also went by without further threat from City, so Tisdale made a double change bringing on Morrison and David Wheeler, for Matt Oakley and Harley. That saw City switch to a 3-4-3 formation and go all-out attack. It almost brought immediate reward as Davies fired an effort just off target from the edge of the box. Sercombe then warmed the gloves of Dunn before Wheeler flicked the ball on for Nichols to run through and fire an effort into the bottom right hand corner for 2-1. It game back on, with 25 minutes left, and the St James’s Park faithful sensed it. As Nichols tested Dunn again, with volley, the roars of support echoed around the ground. City were pushing men forward at this stage and leaving themselves open to the counter. But Cambridge were blunt in attack with Kaikai sending two efforts woefully off target. At the other end Dunn produced an excellent diving save to stop a close-range shot from Wheeler as the pressure mounted and the clocked ticked towards the 75th-minute mark. Sercombe fired another warning Cambridge’s way as he drilled an effort narrowly wide before he delivered the cross for the Wheeler to head home the equaliser with two minutes to go. There was even another chance for City to win it as, when the fourth official's board going up to indicate four minutes of additional time, Wheeler headed wide from a corner. However, there was to be no repeat of the Shrewsbury game, when City came from two goals behind to win, but it was remarkable comeback nonetheless. Exeter City (5-3-2): Pym; Davies, Butterfield, Oakley (Morrison, 60), Moore-Taylor, Woodman; McAllister (Ribeiro, 45), Sercombe, Harley (Wheeler, 60); Nichols, Nicholls. Subs not used: Hamon, Keohane, Tillson, Cummins. Cambridge United (4-4-2): Dunn; Tait, Nelson, Coulson, Taylor; Kaikai (Akintunde, 83), Champion, Hunt, Donaldson; Simpson, Slew. Subs not used: Norris, Miller, Ball, Chadwick, Bird, Chiedozie. Attendance: 3,012. Away: 105 Read more: http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co....tory-26003491-detail/story.html#ixzz3RRKsZOYG Follow us: @expressandecho on Twitter | expressecho on Facebook
Portsmouth v Exeter City: Match preview They say a week is a long time in football, but as Exeter City have proved this season six months can sometimes feel like a lifetime. The Grecians played Portsmouth, their opponents this Saturday, back in early August on the opening day of the season. At the time, City were still under a transfer embargo, favourites to go down and their squad was so small that 41-year-old manager Paul Tisdale had to name himself as a substitute for the game. Fast forward to February though and it is Portsmouth who are struggling, while City – with a much bigger squad to choose from – are battling for a play-off place. Tisdale – who will have little need to get his playing kit ready for the trip to Fratton Park even with James Hamon and David Noble doubtful for the match – admits it is hard to remember how he felt back in August, but the contrast between then and now has not been lost on him. “The difference between that first game against Portsmouth and now is huge,” he said. “For starters, the squad we have assembled now is stronger and deeper and, more importantly, the expectations and sentiment have risen dramatically. “It just shows you how much you can do in six months.I think it is a good thing to draw a line and quantify what we have done from that point to this. Had we said to ourselves in August ‘when we get to February, we will be playing Portsmouth again and we are going to be just outside the play-offs’, I think we would have taken it. It has been a very tough six months and I think the lowest point for me was Northampton away at the end of August when we were literally just scrapping for everything. So looking at where we are now I’m very, very pleased that, with a third of the season to go, we are looking in a relatively strong position with everything to play for.” In fairness, City have had everything to play for for quite a while. They have been knocking on the door of the play-off places since the beginning of November. However, a run of poor form has stalled their climb up the table and frustrated a section of the St James’s Park support who feel they should have pushed on further by now. Considering where they were at the start of the season, that weight of expectation might seem a little unjustified to some. But Tisdale says that pressure is something the players put on themselves anyway and it should be viewed as a positive. “I think pressure is a very difficult thing to quantify, it’s subjective and it is different from one person to the next,” he said. Pressure is what you get from how you react and feel about things, more so than the actual situation you are in. Judging our situation and where we are in the league is quite a sterile way of looking at it, but if you want to take it on a very objective level and look at where we are and where we were, then yes, we can all relax. But actually, we want to be successful and we want to do the best we can, so it is a healthy pressure, born out of ambition and wanting to achieve something.” Portsmouth are also a club under strain, but for different reasons. They have only won one of their last 11 games and, despite being promotion favourites at the start of the campaign, look to be in for a season of struggle. They regularly get 15,000 fans through the turnstiles, who will be far from pleased with the current state of affairs. So, could City use that to their advantage on Saturday? “With any strength there is an inherent weakness,” said Tisdale. “So if you have got a large support, there is a strength to that and it gives you lots of advantages. But the flipside to that is that it can bring extra pressure and judgement when you are not doing so well. However, I don’t think we are going to worrying too much about the big crowd they have or try to play on that either.” match highlights from Exeter City's draw against Portsmouth on the opening day of the season. Read more: http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co....tory-26009218-detail/story.html#ixzz3RdWf6O6r Follow us: @expressandecho on Twitter | expressecho on Facebook
Match preview: Portsmouth v Exeter City A lot has changed since the Grecians and Pompey met at St James Park on the opening day of the 2014/15 season. For Exeter, the transfer embargo has been lifted, manager Paul Tisdale hasn’t had to name himself among the subs again, and City have recovered from an early slump to now be challenging for a play-off position going into the final third of the campaign. After drawing at St James Park, Portsmouth went on to win their next three games – but a season pocked with defeats has left promotion looking like little more than a pipe dream for the Hampshire club this season. However a recent run of three games without defeat is the first time that has been achieved since October. 1,304 City supporters made the journey on Fratton Park to get behind the Grecians last year – and hopefully there will be another strong and vocal following again to get behind their one true love on Valentine’s Day. Match starts in less than 1:30. Will post rosters when they become available. Read more at http://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/fixtures-results/match-preview/index.aspx#52XVbWMAOaEhXCSq.99
Following a midweek draw with Cambridge United, Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale makes a single change to the starting XI for the Grecians’ visit to Portsmouth; Christian Ribeiro is the man to come into the team, while Jamie McAllister takes a seat amongst the subs. Also joining him on the bench are Scot Bennett and David Noble, both returning after two-match absences with injury. Former Grecians Paul Jones, Ryan Taylor and James Dunne all start for the hosts as Andy Awford names an unchanged team for a third straight game. Portsmouth: Jones; Devera, Robinson, Whatmough; Passley, Dunne, Wallace, Hollands, Butler; Tubbs, Taylor. Subs: Poke, Chorley, Ertl, Atangana, Barcham, Westcarr, Chaplin. Exeter City: Pym; Ribeiro, Oakley, Moore-Taylor, Woodman; Sercombe, Butterfield, Davies, Harley; Nicholls, Nichols. Subs: Hamon, McAllister, Keohane, Bennett, Noble, Wheeler, Morrison. Read more at http://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/news/...-exeter-city-2270192.aspx#QXMQjURyKEOgvVbz.99[/QUOTE]
not a bad line-up. pleased that Ribiero gets the start, arguably best defender on the squad this year. The Nichol(l)s should provide enough firepower on the top.
23' Tis' has seen something he likes with a change in the formation; Oakley has come into midfield for the moment, top of a diamond. Butts at the base. Four at the back - Davies, Ribs, JMT and Woody.
....both Nichols and Sercombe get off nice shots within a couple of minutes of each other, but Jones positioning is good. ...both Pym and Ribiero come up big right before the break.
Substitution: Exeter City First City sub - Morrison comes on for Harley ....Looks like Alex Nicholls will play deeper, behind Morrison and Nichols. 67'....former Grecian Dunne hits the bar! Rasping drive from 25 yards and the ball stays out of the Exeter net! 71'....Ribeiro stabs wide! Davies' cross from Nichols wouldn't quite sit for him and the City defender stabbed just wide from close range. The game has really opened up! Still goaless, 73'....Penalty to Pompey. Ribeiro brings down Tubbs on the edge of the area - the ref judges it inside. Yellow card too......Wallace against Pym from 12 yards.....Wallace skies it! It's still rising! The Pompey midfielder gets under his penalty and misses by a distance. We remain goalless at Fratton Park. 75'....Here comes Wheeler for the second City sub, replacing Nichols. 15 to go, 0-0. Wheeler was chatting quite a bit in the press about wanting a chance today, so here it is... 79'....Wallace gets into the area and pulls a neat left-footed shot across goal - Pym gathers. At the other end City counter - Nicholls sets off Sercombe who shoots over, as he cuts in off the left... 83'....Portsmouth finishing strongly and forcing City to defend deep at the moment. City seeing to all threats though......final City sub - Nicholls off, Noble on. 83 played and 0-0. 85'....Chance for Wheeler! Noble pings into the feet of Morrison - he's being manhandled but Wheeler arrives and strikes, but straight at Jones 87'....Davies hits the bar! Superb build-up. Lovely lay-off by Morrison and the midfielder side-foots it against the frame of goal 89'....Sercombe creates space for himself and shoots left-footed but Jones gets safe hands on it 91'....Oakley's shot from the inside the area is blocked and deflected...quick counter for Pompey....goal to Portsmouth. Wallace finds the back of the net. 1-0. 93'....Wheeler bursts forward but the ball bobbles about and he can't get a meaningful shot off. But Davies fouled and will whip in a freekick
That's full time. Portsmouth 1 Exeter City 0. Jed Wallace wins it for Portsmouth in the final minute. Fantastic match to watch, but hardly the needed result. Next up; Plymouth Argyle on the 21st.
DEVON DERBY!!! Despite the last second loss to Portsmouth there is still hope for City – a victory in the Devon derby on this upcoming Saturday will put them back within touching distance as Plymouth Argyle occupy the final play-off place.
nice look back as a lead up to this weekends derby match.... Exeter v Plymouth Nostalgia: A look back at the Devon derby By Exeter Express and Echo | Posted: February 17, 2015 Derby day crowds outside St James Park in the 1970s Richard Crabtree saves the derby day before a packed St James' Park crowd on a sunny April 24 1984. Flanked by Peter Rogers and Steve Neville , Stan McEwans rises high to head against the bar in the City Argle games played in November 1982 at Plymouth Exeter City face Plymouth Argyle this Saturday for yet another installment of the infamous Devon derby. Over the years, stretching back to the turn of the last century, derby day in Devon has been rather special. The meeting of local rivals Exeter City and Plymouth Argyle always raises strong feelings, not always of the over-friendly variety. Yet since the first meeting back in 1909 when Argyle knocked City out of the FA Cup, the games have always been a treat. In the mid 1920s Exeter had something of an edge beating their Devon rivals in Division Three (south) games, 3 - 0 and then 4- 0, but in a memorable (at least in Plymouth) match played in January 1957, Argyle stormed to a 5 - 0 win at Home Park , still the biggest win in the derby games - so far. Overall Exeter have won 26, lost 32 of the encounters, with 26 draws. Among the more recent memorable matches between the two was played out at St James Park on Saturday, April 30 2011 when City all but relegated Argyle, with a 46th minute goal from James Dunne. Plymouth had two games left, one of them rearranged for the game after the City match, and went down in their penultimate game of the season. Exeter City played “We’ll meet again.” By Vera Lyn at the end of the game which was not well received by the travelling support. Exeter City’s Daniel Nardiello scored an injury time winner in a JPT match – Tuesday, November 9, 2010. Ryan Harley had put the Grecians in front before Chris Clark equalised for the Greens. Many Grecians will also well remember the match of Saturday October 5, 2013 when Exeter recorded a 3-1 win overArgyle with second-half goals from Arron Davies, Alan Gow and Scot Bennett. The pick of the goals was from Gow striking into the top corner from the edge of the box. The last time the two teams met was at the start of this season, on August 16, with Argyle comfortable winners 3- 0. Now it’s all to play for again. Read more: http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co....tory-26038992-detail/story.html#ixzz3S1388Loz Follow us: @expressandecho on Twitter | expressecho on Facebook
Exeter City v Plymouth Argyle: Match preview By Exeter Express and Echo | Posted: February 19, 2015 By Simon Larkins Revenge will not be at the forefront of Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale's thinking for Saturday's Devon derby - Picture: Pinnacle Revenge will not be the main motivating factor for the Exeter City players going into this weekend’s Devon derby, according to manager Paul Tisdale. City were comfortably beaten 3-0 at Home Park in August which has led some, including former Argyle defender Guy Branston, to suggest that the Grecians will be out for retribution this Saturday. Tisdale admitted that revenge will come into the players’ thinking but, with the sides so close to each other in a battle for promotion, it would not be at the forefront of their minds. “There are lots of things that go into the melting pot when you consider any game,” said Tisdale, who has won four, lost three and drawn two of his nine matches against Plymouth as City boss. Plymouth Argyle 3 Exeter City 0: Match report Alex Nicholls praises Exeter City fans and calls for improved results at home Plymouth Argyle's John Sheridan not interested in settling for a draw at St James's Park 'Exeter City players still believe they can get promoted,' says Christian Ribeiro “Recent matches play a part in some of your thinking, but how long do you take it back? “We did lose to them at the beginning of the season, but we are a very different team now than we were then, that is for sure. “Really, it is about the here and now. The fact is we have slipped away from the play-off places and Plymouth have edged towards them. So, regardless of it being a derby, it is a big game because it is a six-pointer in terms of us trying to get close to the play-offs. That is probably as big a driving factor for us as anything, but there is always more than one sentiment that goes into the preparation of any game.” City are currently six points behind Argyle, who occupy the final play-off place. They have 14 games left to bridge that gap, so Tisdale is well aware how costly defeat on Saturday could be. “Any defeat is a knock back coming into the last third of the season, but when it is a team that is competing against you directly it is a bigger knock back,” he said. “It is a big game for us and the result is very important on many levels. “It is important because six points, at the minute, is not too much of a distance, but you just don’t want that gap to stretch any more.” Based on previous seasons, City can predict that they will need around 70 points to get into the play-off places. On current form – the Grecians have picked up just nine points from their last 10 games – they are due to fall a long way short of that. However, Tisdale is confident they can still do it – based on the way they have played in their last four games. “I don’t think we are going to have to pull results out of the bag, we have got a chance,” he said. “Over the last three or four games I haven’t been that unhappy with our performances. “We got outplayed in the first half against Cambridge, but we have played pretty well the last three or four games. “I don’t think we have picked up the points that we deserve. “Playing the way we are, we have got a chance to get something out of every game we play in, but we do have to complete the performances with results.” Most of those results have to be wins, according to Tisdale. He says they are getting to the stage of the season when draws are almost as harmful as losses to their promotion prospects. “There is no straight line towards success and it is difficult to plot, but we do want three points,” he said. “It is still good to try and pick up the odd point, it keeps the scoreboard ticking along, but I do agree with the notion that we need to pick up three points more often than we pick up draws.” Watch highlights from last season's Devon derby at St James's Park. Read more: http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co....tory-26048720-detail/story.html#ixzz3SCXMmufl Follow us: @expressandecho on Twitter | expressecho on Facebook
in other new...... Exeter City striker Jamie Reid has joined Vanarama Conference National side Torquay United on a youth loan. The terms of the agreement mean that the 20-year-old will be at Plainmoor for an initial 28 days. His first involvement could come this weekend, as the Gulls travel to the Racecourse Ground to take on Wrexham in the semi-final first-leg of the FA Trophy. Reid’s loan with Weymouth came to an end following their home fixture against Redditch United on Saturday, in which he scored the Terras’ goal in a 1-1 draw. He played a total of eight games and scored three goals for the Dorset side. Meanwhile Connor Riley-Lowe, who was also on loan with Reid at Weymouth, has returned to Exeter City.
Exeter City v Plymouth Argyle: Tom Nichols looking forward to playing in front of near capacity crowd By Exeter Express and Echo | Posted: February 20, 2015 Tom Nichols battles for possession Plymouth Argyle at Home Park last season - Picture: Pinnacle Comments (0) Exeter City's Tom Nichols says he can't wait to play in front of a crowd of 7,500 in the Devon derby at St James's Park tomorrow. Nichols, who is City's top scorer with 11 goals this season, thinks Saturday's match against Plymouth is going to be a much bigger affair than last season with both sides pushing for promotion. The tickets sold for the game seem to back up that theory, with St James's Park set to be close to capacity on Saturday and the gate considerably up on the 5,700 people who came to watch the Grecians defeat Plymouth 3-1 in October 2013. “There is a definitely a better atmosphere than the game last season,” Nichols said. “Both clubs were down towards the bottom last year, so it wasn’t as important. “Now, we are fighting for the play-offs and we really need to win and they need the win to stay in the play-off places as well, so it should be a good game. “I haven’t played in front of a gate that big at Exeter. You can see the fans are looking forward to it, as the players are as well, and hopefully we can put on a good game for them as we usually do. We are averaging about three goals in our games at the moment!” Nichols added: “These are one off games in a season that you have to make the most of, you can’t just let the game pass you by. “But you have to enjoy it as well. You are in the middle of battle, but you have to thrive on the atmosphere and I am sure the Big Bank will be pumping.” Read more: http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co....tory-26057544-detail/story.html#ixzz3SI3oItFv Follow us: @expressandecho on Twitter | expressecho on Facebook -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Start time for those in the U.S. is 8:00A EST
DEVON DERBY DAY!!!!!!!! Image by: Pinnacle / @ppauk Five ex-Academy players start for the Grecians Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale has selected five homegrown players for his starting XI in the Devon Derby against Plymouth Argyle. Christy Pym, Jordan Moore-Taylor, Liam Sercombe, Scot Bennett and Tom Nichols make up the ex-Academy contigent. Danny Butterfield misses out on the squad with injury, meaning that Bennett is the man recalled into the starting line-up. Clinton Morrison starts in attack, with Alex Nicholls on the bench. Graham Cummins and Jordan Tillson are both recalled onto the bench, while David Noble is also an absentee. Exeter City: Pym; Davies, Ribeiro, Moore-Taylor, Woodman; Oakley, Sercombe, Harley; Bennett, Morrison, Nichols. Subs: Hamon, Keohane, McAllister, Tillson, Wheeler, Nicholls, Cummins. Plymouth Argyle: McCormick; Nelson, McHugh, Hartley; Talbot, B.Reid, O’Connor, Lee, Holmes-Dennis; Alessandra, R.Reid. Subs: Bittner, Cox, Purrington, Brunt, Norburn, Blizzard.
The atmosphere at St. James Park is amazing, with both set of supporters in fine voice. Lots of crushing tackles to this point, a few chances for both sides.... Pym does well to keep out the visitors - it's Alessandra that ends up in the net, not the ball Goal to Plymouth. The ball finds its way to Reuben Reid in the City area and he takes a touch and slots past Pym. 1-0 Argyle. Pym has to be alert
1-1! Arron Davies levels for the Grecians! Goal: Exeter City GOAL! DAVIES! Attendance today is 7,440 with 1,682 in the away end. Fantastic support today - 45 minutes left to come... Half-time sub for Exeter - Woodman off, McAllister on
Pym guesses the right way but Reid plants the ball into the net. 2-1 to Argyle. Order finally restored and we're ready to get back playing again. Plymouth a goal up but a man down. And it's all erupting in the centre circle as the teams exchange opinions. Argyle will carry on a man light. Straight red as he leaves something on Tom Nichols, who has nicked the ball away... Red card: Plymouth Argyle Olly Lee is sent off for Argyle! First Argyle sub - Alessandra off, Cox on Reid scores for Argyle. That's 3-1 and a hat-trick for the Plymouth forward. Disgraceful!!!!! Reid's goal was his last contribution as he's subbed off for Brunt, injured. Third and final City sub - Nicholls comes on for Bennett - 15' to go - very ugly buzz in the stands among the home supporters. Time running out for Exeter to get into this. Argyle defending with two banks of four and not leaving any gaps Still 3-1 to Argyle and the fourth official is getting his board ready to show added time......... Six added minutes
Full-time: Exeter City 1 Plymouth Argyle 3. Davies had Exeter level before h-t but Reuben Reid completed a hat-trick in the second half. Could this be the beginning of the end for Tisdale?
Paul Tisdale labels Exeter City's derby day defending as suicidal By Exeter Express and Echo | Posted: February 21, 2015 By Simon Larkins at St James's Park Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale on the touchline during the Devon derby against Plymouth Argyle EXETER City manager Paul Tisdale labelled his side’s defending in the Devon derby defeat to Plymouth Argyle as suicidal. The Grecians, who have the fifth worst defensive record in the division and have only kept three clean sheets all season, were slightly unfortunate to concede the first goal of the afternoon as Bobby Reid’s miscued volley fell kindly into the path of Reuben Reid. However, after the break, Matt Oakley allowed Lewis Alessandra to get goal side of him in the area before he brought him down for a soft penalty and then the Grecians gave the ball the opportunity to bounce into the area for Reuben Reid to fire home goal number three. “If I want to sum it up, it was suicide to defend that way,” said Tisdale. “To defend like that made the game almost impossible and it makes everything else in the game look like we were below-par. Well, we weren’t that far below-par we just defended, in three very important moments, very poorly and I can’t defend the team in that regard. They (Plymouth) put the ball in the back of the net, but we gifted them those opportunities. It was really disappointing afternoon." Exeter City 1 Plymouth Argyle 3: Match report Despite being critical of how his team defended, Tisdale stopped short of labelling the performance terrible throughout. City showed good battling qualities to get themselves level on the stroke of half-time, thanks to a close range shot from Arron Davies, and worked hard. As a result Tisdale, despite being upset by the result, didn’t castigate his players in his post-match press conference. “I can stand here and get carried along with how I feel, because how I feel is terribly disappointed,” said Tisdale. “I love to vent that disappointment by being very critical, but I’m not very critical. “My job is always to make sure I don’t let emotion taint how I speak about my team. I think they were committed. They just didn’t do well enough to win a game of football. “It was about the goals,” added Tisdale. “It would be very easy for me to be very critical and downbeat about my team because we have been beat and it looks a comfortable beating. “But I thought the first half was very evenly contested. I didn’t think we were at our best, but we certainly weren’t terrible. “I can defend my team, because I thought they gave 100 per cent– they were fully committed. They weren’t perfect, but they weren’t that bad. But it is very hard to defend the team when they have defended so poorly at crucial times.” Read more: http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co....tory-26062902-detail/story.html#ixzz3SUjhNgcP Follow us: @expressandecho on Twitter | expressecho on Facebook
Exeter City 1 Plymouth Argyle 3: Match highlights By Exeter Express and Echo | Posted: February 22, 2015 Comments (0) Watch match highlights from Exeter City's 3-1 defeat to Plymouth Argyle in Saturday's Devon derby. Plymouth won the game with three goals from striker Reuben Reid, while City's goal was scored by Arron Davies. Read more: http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co....tory-26065109-detail/story.html#ixzz3SUl4axLl Follow us: @expressandecho on Twitter | expressecho on Facebook
file this under "really?" , "you don't say" and "duh!!" Scot Bennett: Defensive mistakes are costing us victories By Exeter Express and Echo | Posted: February 23, 2015 Scot Bennett in action against Plymouth Argyle on Saturday - Picture: Pinnacle Comments (0) Scot Bennett says Exeter City’s defensive woes are costing them victories, after two soft second-half goals saw them succumb to a 3-1 defeat against Plymouth Argyle. Reuben Reid scored a hat-trick at St James’s Park to fire his side to victory in the Devon derby, despite playing the last 30 minutes with 10 men. Bennett, whose preferred position is in defence, played the majority of the game in midfield and watched as the Grecians conceded a soft penalty to go 2-1 down and then let a route-one ball bounce into their box for the third. “The defensive side of things is not good enough and we need to start picking that up,” said Bennett. Related content Exeter City 1 Plymouth Argyle 3: Match highlights Paul Tisdale labels Exeter City's derby day defending as suicidal Exeter City 1 Plymouth Argyle 3: Match report “In the second half we have let in two sloppy goals and we can’t give away goals like that and expect to win games. “The penalty has come from nothing, they’ve played a ball through the back five and Oaks (Matt Oakley) is unlucky. He has tried to go and win the ball, which maybe he shouldn’t have done in the box, as it is a sloppy penalty to go and give away. “Then the third goal, I don’t know what has happened. There are three of them around the ball and they have all left it for each other and we can’t do that at this level. You have got to take responsibility, one of them has got to put a name on it and go and put their head on the ball. They can’t leave it for each other and hope that it is going to get sorted. “We need to be more commanding in and around our box. That is the reason we are not winning games and that is going to cost us at the end of the season if we don’t start doing it and start keeping the ball out of the back of our net.” Asked what the side could do to improve their defensive record going into back-to-back away games against Carlisle United and York City, Bennett said: “Perhaps we need to do a bit more defensive work after training, so we are on the same wavelength and we know what we are doing because at the minute it is just sloppy goal, after sloppy goal. We can’t keep doing that. We are good enough to keep clean sheets. “We need to be putting in performances and making sure we are winning games by keeping clean sheets, because we know we have got goals in our team.” City dropped to 13th in League Two on the back of Saturday’s loss and Bennett doesn’t want their defensive errors to turn what has been a reasonably successful season into one of disappointment “We have got to sort this out and sort it out quickly otherwise we are going to end up dropping down the table,” said Bennett. “We have had a very good season and we don’t want that to happen. We want to be looking up and chasing that play-off spot. So we need to start winning games again, quickly.” Read more: http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co....tory-26065790-detail/story.html#ixzz3Sa3evGNF Follow us: @expressandecho on Twitter | expressecho on Facebook