‘Didn’t Know It Was This Tough’ – Exeter City Boss Reflects On Imps Win

Gary Caldwell has been speaking to Exeter City media about their win yesterday.

Despite creating virtually nothing for 90 minutes, the Grecians sprung a smash-and-grab to take all three points. It’s their first win at the Bank since 2009, when a late Rob Burch own goal gave them the points.

Caldwell was obviously delighted with his side’s win, pointing out they’re the first League One team to win here this season.

“I said it was a tough place to win,” he said. “I didn’t know it was that tough! It’s the first League One team to win here this year. Only the world champions have won here this season, so we knew the challenge ahead of us. I think what we’ve seen today was a team that fought for everything in the game.

“In the first half, I thought we were excellent. We really controlled the game in the right areas. We could have probably created better moments and better opportunities when we got in the final third, but we kept a team that is very dominant in the first half at bay in that period, and we were the better team at half-time.

“In the second half, in fairness to them, they came out and put us under a lot of pressure, but we defended the box incredibly well. We put bodies on the line, we covered for each other, and there was always another Exeter player there when we needed it. Then we came up with a big moment near the end that wins us the game.”

Visiting keeper Joe Whitworth, highly rated at Premier League side Crystal Palace, pulled off a handful of saves which many thought were fantastic. However, Caldwell disagreed, given the quality of the keeper in question.

“I don’t think they were fantastic saves. I think Joe’s a fantastic goalie, but I don’t think he had to make fantastic saves today. I thought he made saves that we expect Joe to make week in, week out.

“The defenders were brilliant at putting their bodies on the line, and even midfielders and strikers coming back — whether that be the edge of the box or just outside the box — helped us defend as a team.”

Despite creating nothing for 90 minutes, and ending with an xG of just 0.16, Caldwell believes his side made attacking changes, looking to win the game.

“We made subs that were attacking subs to try and go and win the game, so I think that showed where our mindset was, even although we were on a difficult run. Like I said, we came up with a really big moment on the counter-attack where Kev shows his quality and composure from the edge of the box. I was surprised it reached the goal, if I’m being honest, but delighted when it did hit the net.

“I always say every week the finishers are so important. I still think the players look at me and don’t really believe that, but as you saw today, a finisher comes on and wins the game for us.

“We changed the shape a couple of times, and that understanding and know-how of what was needed at different moments was good. I said to the whole group — there are players being left out of the squad today who need to keep pushing to get in it.”

Ultimately, resilience was the key to victory, according to the Scottish manager, and it would be difficult to disagree with that, after they put bodies on the line to keep the score at 0-0 for the duration of the 90 minutes.

“I think that was the key to the victory. I definitely think second half we can play better, and in the first half in the final third we can be better, but after the run we’ve been on and falling the wrong side of the odd goal to lose games, it’s really hard.

“So I understand where the players are at, and what I asked for was a team with a mentality and top behaviours to win us the game today. I think because we showed that, we got our rewards with a goal at the end.

“We did score a late goal here last year that got disallowed, and I didn’t think it should have been disallowed, so maybe the luck is starting to fall on our side.”