Matt Taylor angry at officials after Exeter have goal disallowed at Walsall

Posted Sunday, March 08, 2020 by PA

Exeter boss Matt Taylor angrily accused the officials of being influenced by Walsall players after they controversially disallowed a goal at a key point in their 3-1 defeat to the Saddlers.

Just minutes after Ryan Bowman’s header cancelled out Rory Holden’s opener for Walsall, the City striker thought he had flicked the promotion-chasing visitors ahead from Randell Williams’ free-kick.

The goal was initially given but, after a long consultation with his assistant, referee Tom Nield ruled it offside and substitute Elijah Adebayo scored twice in the last 20 minutes to win it for Walsall.

“It’s just a huge mistake on their part,” fumed Taylor.

“There was a player playing Ryan onside at the back post. You talk about crucial moments. It’s frustrating.

“Then there’s a lot of players in the referee’s ear and the linesman’s ear – they’ve just got to be stronger than that.

“If that goal is given, it changes the game, we don’t have to chase the game.

“I’d have had no problem if he thought it was offside and put his flag up straight away but a) it wasn’t clearly offside and b) they got influenced by the home team.”

A four-game winless run has seen Exeter drop out of the automatic promotion places and they sit three points off the top three.

Taylor added: “If they want a blueprint, play like we did in the second half – I can accept defeat, I can’t accept not going on the front foot and playing positively.

“We’ve done it all season – why stop now? Just because the prize at stake that is getting closer and closer. Forget about it, play the way you’ve done all season.”

Adebayo’s header and late tap-in left Walsall boss Darrell Clarke beaming and he said: “I thought it was a good performance and at half-time we could have been out of sight.

“Exeter will be a little bit aggrieved about the goal that wasn’t given and I understand that but I thought the better team on the day won.

“We are having more of those spells in games where you are on the front foot and the football is a little bit more fluid but that doesn’t happen overnight.

“It’s about relationships on the pitch and players having an understanding over a period of time.”

Walsall are unbeaten in five and Clarke praised former Newcastle and Blackburn midfielder Danny Guthrie’s growing influence.

“Danny is key,” Clarke added.

“He’s missed a lot of games this season and it’s been hard to get him fit but he has that knack and quality that gets you playing.

“He’s a proper intelligent footballer that sees the areas on the pitch where he can play the ball and he can hurt teams with his quality.”