Michael Skubala views draw at Exeter as two points dropped by Lincoln

Posted Saturday, November 16, 2024 by PA

Lincoln manager Michael Skubala believed the 0-0 draw at Exeter was a case of two points dropped for his team.

Lincoln were the better team in a dire match of few clear-cut chances against a team playing without three key players, away on international duty.

The absence of those players showed as the hosts lacked quality in the final third and Skubala said: “It feels like two points dropped.

“I think, in the second half, the performance was really good and we had control of the game.

“We played well and it was just that end goal and a goal to finish, we didn’t make our penalty box entries and chances count, really.

“I think they probably edged the first half a little bit but I didn’t feel there was too much threat, even though they had some big chances in the first half as well, but it’s two points dropped.

“We know this is a tough place to come, they are a good team and beat Charlton here 1-0 last week, who are a big football club, so we can’t be too disappointed.

“But when the game goes like that and you feel like you could have nicked the three points, I just thought we could have done it and got a 1-0 out of it.

He continued: “A point away from home at a place like this is a good point for us. We just have to keep pushing and keep improving and improve in the final third.

“I think we could be a bit calmer and a bit cleaner in those moments and it isn’t individuals, it is everybody. Hopefully then we can score more goals.”

Exeter manager Gary Caldwell was happy with a point from the Sky Bet League One contest, especially being without the three internationals.

“It was a difficult game,” he said. “At home, we always look to win and that is always our intention at the start of a game but I think, the longer the game went on, to make changes to try and win it was a risk.

“We always had to guard against their physicality and their size, any changes we made may have made us smaller and we will look at that as a staff and see if we got it right, but I felt it was a game where, in the end, we had to take the point.

“I always want more and I hope the players are disappointed, which they seemed to be – and that is a good place to be – but I think we will all wake up tomorrow morning and be happy with a point.

“We can look at areas where we can be better and go to Wrexham next week with a full squad, which will make us stronger and better, and try and get the win there.”