Manager gives match reaction after 2-1 win over Bury
Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale was delighted with the efforts of his team as they recorded a third straight win, defeating Bury 2-1 at St James Park.The game saw City go in front early through a Matt Grimes free-kick, but a thunderbolt by Tom Soares on the hour-mark had Bury level. Between the two goals, goalkeeper Christy Pym had to be heavily bandaged after suffering a nasty head-injury.
However the team as a collective battled on and were rewarded with a goal from close-range by Jimmy Keohane in the closing stages, giving Exeter their first home win of the season.
The City manager was delighted with the result, the performance, and the form that his troops have shown in recent weeks.
“It’s three wins on the bounce and we’ve got our season going,” said Tis. “We played really well – it was a really good game of football and it could have gone either way, and it went our way today.
“The players are showing signs of form now and we’ve got ourselves going, so we’ve got to maintain it. I’m really pleased – it was a really good team effort and we’re on the move.
“It’s about sharing the effort out and everyone contributing to attack and defence. We’ve got that at the moment – we’ve got a group of players that are all contributing at the same level.
“Christy had to play his part – he got a nasty bang in the face which resulted in lots of stitches at half-time, and he came back out and carried on and played for the team and made some good saves.
“Right across the board we played our part. It was a big effort today – we were down to our bare bones with four senior players missing, but we got through it and I can’t be more happy.”
A crowd of 3,215 contributed to a fantastic atmosphere at St James Park, creating a great noise throughout the fixture as the game went through the motions.
Paul was pleased with how the players and supporters worked as one to eke out a result against the high-flying Shakers.
“The supporters were great today,” he continued. “They really got behind the team – it’s not just the job of the team to lead the supporters, sometimes the supporters have to lead the team. It’s always best if both can do it in tandem.
“There was a pure enthusiasm and energy and positivity about the supporters. It helps when you score as early and as well as we did but everyone played their part. It was a good team effort.”
The winning goal – a close-range tap-in from substitute Jimmy Keohane after a goalmouth bundle – wasn’t necessarily the purest of goals after a thoroughly entertaining game of football.
However Paul was pleased with way that the goal came about, with every player involved in the build-up doing their utmost to force the issue.
“We had five players that did the maximum they could do in every situation to get that ball over the line,” he explained.
“Alex Nicholls won the free-kick; Matt Grimes delivered a pinpoint cross on the money; Jordan Moore-Taylor rose above his man and headed it back into the perfect spot; Tom Nichols read it and jumped and challenged the ball; Jimmy Keohane read that and stuck it over the line.
“That’s as good as any passing move. There’s no luck involved in that – they all did their bit. All you can do as a player is give your maximum in every situation, whether that’s running, tackling or jumping. That goal was a sequence of five really good bits of play.”