Matt Taylor praises Exeter efforts in beating Cambridge

Posted Sunday, October 04, 2020 by PA

Exeter manager Matt Taylor was full of praise for his players as they moved up to sixth place in the League Two table with a comfortable 2-0 win over Cambridge.

After goalkeeper Lewis Ward made two fantastic early saves, the Grecians took control of the game and went in front after 16 minutes when Randell Williams was tripped in the box by Harrison Dunk and Matt Jay scored from the spot.

Joel Randall then scored a fine individual goal to double the lead as Exeter kept a first clean sheet since January 25, as the away team struggled to fashion a chance in the second half.

“I thought it was a very open game with chances at both ends of the pitch,” Taylor said.

“We managed to take ours quite early on and got a foothold in the game, but Lewis Ward made a couple of good saves early on as well and they are big moments in the game, especially when you are at home and the expectation is on you to make the running.

“When you get ahead, you want to stay ahead and extend that lead and I was never comfortable at 2-0 and that is credit to Cambridge.

“They created some chances and our goalkeeper has earned his money and the defenders got their bodies in the way second half when they needed to. I think we can be better as a team, but that wasn’t a bad performance.

“They had some aggressive play and high-intensity play in an attacking sense, but we felt there was space on the pitch when we regained possession, it was just about how much we were able to utilise that and create off the back of that.”

Cambridge manager Mark Bonner was happy with his side’s performance, but not the end result.

“We are disappointed with the goals we conceded,” he said.

“It made it a more a difficult task. I would have to say I loved the intensity we played with, the urgency to try and get back in the game and we have come away from home against a very good side and created a lot of decent opportunities.

“It is a disappointing result but a pleasing and encouraging performance by us.

“I am not sure there was a two-goal difference in the game, I thought we controlled large spells and we looked a real threat.

“They looked excellent on the counter-attack and they are a good side. They are at the top of the table every single year.

“We are trying to aspire to be at that level so to show that we can compete, we haven’t come out with anything today, but we need to use that as a platform to keep getting better.”