Matt Taylor frustrated by Exeter’s defensive display in Orient draw

Posted Sunday, September 15, 2019 by PA

Exeter manager Matt Taylor could not hide his frustration at the two soft goals his team conceded in drawing 2-2 with Leyton Orient.

The Grecians stayed top of Sky Bet League Two despite the draw, but it should have been so much more as they dominated for long spells.

But poor defending led to Lee Angol cancelling out Pierce Sweeney’s opener and again when Louis Dennis cut in from the wing and saw his deflected shot nestle in the net.

Nicky Law rescued a point with a stoppage-time penalty after Ben Seymour had been fouled, but despite being happy to maintain their unbeaten start, Taylor was not pleased with City’s defending.

“I am stood here with mixed emotions. I am pleased to keep the unbeaten run going, but we made it difficult for ourselves,” Taylor said.

“I thought their centre forward (Angol) dominated us to a certain extent and had a far too easy afternoon.

“Both goals were a similar process off the back of that, so that is something I have to work on.

“I was disappointed with the two goals we conceded.

“We gave ourselves a lot of work to do but we created enough opportunities and worked their goalkeeper and worked their goal and had enough sightings of their goal, so it always felt it was a case of when it (the equaliser) was going to come.

“I still felt we might have gone on to win the game because there was enough time left. I’m just disappointed with the goals because that is a big challenge to overcome when you are 2-1 down.”

Leyton Orient boss Ross Embleton also had mixed emotions at the full-time whistle.

“It is a very surreal feeling,” he said. “Did we deserve to win? Certainly not. Is it frustrating to concede a goal in stoppage time? Of course, it is.

“If you look back we would have taken a point in the circumstances and after last week’s disappointing performance it was a step in the right direction.

“We have had a really good week, we have done a lot of work to ensure we were tactically prepared and the way the boys executed that side of the game was really pleasing.

“I really liked us in the first half, we were compact and solid and it wasn’t a great goal to concede. But we were clever in the way we counter-attacked and looked to hurt the opposition.

“Personally I don’t think we deserved to win it, but it was a devastating blow to concede the goal as late as we did. Our goal led a charmed life at times and Dean (Brill) kept us in it.

“But the way we defended our box, we deserved that point out of the game and that grit and determination the boys have shown today got us over the line.”