Matt Taylor claims table-topping Exeter can ‘still be better’

Posted Wednesday, August 22, 2018 by PA

Exeter manager Matt Taylor will demand more from his side despite them topping the Sky Bet League Two table after a 2-0 victory at Cambridge.

Two goals in the opening 14 minutes secured the points, with Jonathan Forte netting from close range after a wayward defensive header and goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov letting Jayden Stockley’s header through his hands to gift them a second goal.

“Similar to the last couple of games they put us under a lot of pressure so we had to defend our box,” Taylor said.

“(It was) the same sort of story where (goalkeeper) Christy (Pym) has not had a lot of clear-cut opportunities against him and shots to save, so full credit to the whole group. They really dug in there, second half.

“We looked bright and sharp in our attack first half; we didn’t quite keep the ball well enough in the second which invited more pressure onto us, but I can’t have too many complaints with a 2-0 victory.

“To come away from home and keep them at arm’s length for the majority of the 90 minutes I was very pleased, and again we’ve hit the bar, hit the post, so it could have been more comfortable.

“We can still be better, I’ll still ask for more from the group. We’ve just had five minutes with them where I’ve said ‘if we’re going to go to where we want to go to then we’ve got to improve and got to be better’.”

Joe Dunne was upbeat despite seeing his Cambridge side concede at least two goals for the fifth time in a row since the start of the season.

“I felt on the night, overall, it was a good performance,” he said. “We threw everything at them: we’ve out-shot and out-crossed them and had a lot of possession, but a couple of key moments have cost us.

“(There was) lots of good play, lots of good possession in midfield in the first half and working it into areas, some good opportunities that we didn’t quite take.

“I have to pay real tribute to the fans, especially at half-time. We used that. And again at the end, they’ve seen their team lose 2-0 at home but they’ve seen a lot of effort and a lot of commitment and some quality at times.

“I thought we definitely deserved something from the match. We’ll play like that again and win games.

“I’m a great believer that the kind of goals we’re conceding at the moment, they work themselves out. We didn’t dwell on any of the errors, you can’t dwell on the bad moments.”