Matt Taylor salutes seven-up Exeter display as they thrash Cheltenham

Posted Wednesday, August 10, 2022 by PA

Manager Matt Taylor was left purring as his Exeter side dismantled Cheltenham 7-0 away from home to continue their fine start to the season.

The promoted Grecians have taken four points from six in League One and with confidence flowing they registered their biggest win since 1935.

Taylor said: “We started so well, our intent was outstanding and our box entries were superb.

“The ball was flying across the goal and we had to put the bodies in the right position to finish it off, with the goals coming in quick succession.

“I am as pleased with the second half when we made some changes with some talented young lads going on and we didn’t look at all disjointed.”

It took Exeter 23 minutes to open the scoring but they then fired four in a 12-minute spell.

A poor clearance was seized upon and Jake Caprice’s low ball in was touched over the line by Sam Nombe to make it 1-0.

Alex Hartridge’s cross from the left found its way to Archie Collins on the edge of the box and he thumped in the second three minutes later.

Matt Jay made it 3-0 with a header at the far post after Caprice’s delivery from the right in the 28th minute and Pierce Sweeney’s superb cross was nodded in by Nombe for his second and Exeter’s fourth 10 minutes before half-time.

Nombe bamboozled Tom Bradbury and fed Jack Sparkes to add the fifth in first-half stoppage time.

Harry Kite made it 6-0 in the 50th minute after a long throw was only half cleared to him on the edge of the box.

Josh Coley rounded off the scoring six minutes from the end to compound Cheltenham’s misery as they slumped to their heaviest home defeat for more than 30 years.

Robins boss Wade Elliott admitted: “We were miles off it and that has to be a wake-up call.

“The fans were great, sticking with us, but it was a horror show.”