Wade Elliott hails resilient Robins after smash-and-grab victory at Exeter

Posted Sunday, August 21, 2022 by PA

Cheltenham manager Wade Elliott praised the resilience of his side as they shocked Exeter with a 1-0 win at St James Park.

On-loan Southampton striker Dan Nlundulu scored the only goal of the game shortly after half-time and the Robins then frustrated Exeter with their resilience and gamesmanship and held on for the three points to claim a first league win of the season.

“It was a tough game, but we knew it was going to be,” Elliott said. “They have lost here once in 12 months, something like that. So you know when you come here you are going to be asked questions.

“We did well to well to survive. We knew we would come under a lot of pressure in the first 20 minutes. We are on a fast learning curve as a group and what we did really well is to stay in the game. We were dogged and resilient and passed the ball a bit better than we did in the first half.

“We knew we would get a moment and it was about taking it. After we saw that initial spell out, we hung in and second half we were a bit calmer.

“It was a really good goal. We have got good footballers in the team so they had to show the other side of it in the first half. They had to land on second balls and scrap and fight and, by staying in the game, we then give themselves a chance to show off that bit of quality we have got.”

Exeter manager Matt Taylor felt his side lacked the quality needed to break the Robins down.

“It was frustrating from start to finish,” he said. “They came here with a clear game plan to frustrate and deny and it has worked to an absolute tee and we probably allowed that to work to a certain extent.

“The goal was a really poor goal. If it stays 0-0 for longer, then we don’t have to force so much and go through as many bodies, but it was pretty clear any time in the game was going to be taken out by the opposition.

“We didn’t have it in terms of our play and our bodies to break them down, although we actually started the game really well and should have had a penalty and that was another poor decision that went against us.

“After the goal, we were really facing an uphill task and really tried in desperation to create any openings, but there were very few openings to call upon really.

“The official has added the time on at the end from them taking time out of the game, but I can’t accept him taking time out of the game and make moments in the game about himself. That is something that is absolutely beyond me, but I don’t want to make excuses because we were poor today.”