Matt Taylor hails Exeter’s fighting spirit

Posted Wednesday, October 24, 2018 by PA

Exeter boss Matt Taylor was delighted with the manner of his side’s performance after they forced a late 1-1 draw at improving Crawley.

Skipper Filipe Morais had put the Reds on course for a new club league record of six successive home league wins before substitute Lee Holmes levelled with 11 minutes left.

The Grecians have dropped to third place with a fourth consecutive away draw, and Taylor said he could not fault their application after a stomach bug had disrupted their preparations.

Top scorer Jayden Stockley, affected by the illness, dropped to the bench and Taylor said:”We battled and I am happy with a point.

“Crawley are a good side, especially at home, but we stayed in the game at 1-0 and we got stronger as it went on.

“In the second half it was more of an open game but I am pleased at following up the draw at Grimsby with another good point.”

Taylor felt that Holmes took his first goal of the season in fine style on the breakaway and said: “Sometimes you can overthink it when you have time.

But Lee showed a bit of class with the finish.

“I`m disappointed with the goal we conceded, it was a route-one goal but, we we stayed in it while Crawley tired slightly.”

This was the first time in five home games that Crawley have dropped points under head coach Gabriele Cioffi, and the Italian had no doubt his men let two points slip away.

He said:” Absolutely, we should have won. But the performance was amazing.

“We are building something important and I am happy.”

Crawley already beat Lincoln and Newport before running Exeter close, and Cioffi feels this underlines the improvements that are being made.

The 43-year-old added: “The mentality is better since I arrived; there was under achieving before.

“We are putting points on the board in a difficult period and we have taken points off top teams.

“It was good to follow last Saturday (4-1 win over Newport) with another good performance and the whole team take credit.

“I am disappointed not to win, but we had to make a goal-line clearance right at the end so there is two ways of looking at it as we could have lost.”