Taylor hails ‘step forward’ as Exeter stay top

Matt Taylor heaped praise on Ryan Bowman and feels there is “more to come” from Exeter after the striker fired them to a 1-0 win over Mansfield.

The hitman latched on to Dean Moxey’s quick throw and smashed the ball past Conrad Logan as Mansfield were caught napping.

Grecians boss Taylor said: “The goal came because we were bright on the ball and Ryan has made a bright run in behind.

“It was a hell of a finish. He smashed it with his left foot, which is his weaker foot, and hit it cleanly.

“We created the better chances on the whole and I was pleased with the performance.

“We conceded a fair bit of possession in the second half but we stood up to the pressure. I didn’t feel like they were creating too many chances so I didn’t want to change it too much.

“Mansfield are a good team and have some serious attacking players on that pitch. But I was really pleased that we limited them to half-sights of our goal.

“It is a step forward and I think there is more to come from us in an attacking sense.”

Bowman’s second goal of the season kept Exeter at the top of the table.

The Grecians are only one of two teams – along with Newport – not to have tasted defeat in League Two this season.

Taylor added: “There are reasons to be cheerful but we are not getting carried away because we know how tough League Two is.”

Mansfield failed to register a single shot on target as they slipped to their second defeat of the season.

Stags boss John Dempster said: “We weren’t at it. League Two, at times, isn’t pretty, it is about restarts, physicality and about making as (few) mistakes as possible. We were poor at all three.

“They physically dominated us, they caught us out from the throw and we made mistakes all over the pitch.

“If you look at the first half, their back three were immaculate. You look at ours and they were all over the place.

“We huffed and puffed in the second half but overall the spark wasn’t there.

“Exeter are a good football club and they are top of the league after six games. You can’t come here, perform like that and expect to get anything.”

Mansfield were reduced to 10 men in the 86th minute after Ryan Sweeney saw red for a tangle with Bowman in the box.

Dempster added: “I am not sure what happened with the sending-off. The players are saying there is nothing in it, I didn’t see it.

“We have lost a football match, had a player sent off and it is not good enough.”