Exeter boss Taylor frustrated after draw

Posted Wednesday, March 04, 2020 by PA

Exeter manager Matt Taylor was left frustrated with the nature of Crewe’s equaliser as the League Two promotion rivals played out a 1-1 draw at St James Park.

The Grecians went in front when Tom Parkes bundled in a corner kick, but Crewe levelled from a set piece of their own through Michael Nottingham.

Taylor said: “I’m pleased with the way that we played, but so disappointed with the way we let Crewe back in from a set piece. It was always going to be such tight margins against a good team.

“How many saves has Lewis Ward had to make?

“My centre halves have not had to make too many clearances in and around our penalty box and we had all the play and attacking moments, but I can’t call them chances because it is so difficult to create clear chances on that pitch.

“It comes down to set pieces and moments of brilliance or mistakes from the opposition and we didn’t quite have that towards the end, even though we got stronger towards the end and were the team trying to win that game. It just didn’t quite happen.

“Full credit to Crewe, they stood up to an awful lot tonight, but they were wilting towards the end and we were getting stronger. It shows how fit we are as a group of players but also the belief and mindset to keep going.

“I am just so disappointed that they scored tonight on the back of creating so few chances, but I can’t fault the players for their effort.”

Crewe boss David Artell was in agreement that the pitch did nothing to help either side.

“It was a fair result. It was a bit nip and tuck and there was nothing in the game,” he said.

“I thought it was two fairly evenly-matched teams in a cagey battle. Two different formations cancelling out each other, but going toe-to-toe and making sure one team doesn’t get on top of the other.

“Matt Taylor has got a good team having to play on not a great surface. We had to amend our style, it wasn’t a good footballing game for the purist but two organised and hard-working teams who gave as good as they got.

“They were playing a high line and we were trying to play through a poor pitch. That is not a criticism of Exeter because the weather has been atrocious.

“Exeter like to play football and that is the least amount of football I have seen Exeter play. That is not a criticism, they understand their pitch is not conducive to allow them to do that.”