Exeter City FC

Exeter City manager Matt Taylor hailed a ‘proper performance’ from his players as they stretched their unbeaten run to nine games with a 2-0 victory over Swindon Town.

With the wind again them in the first half, the Grecians had to defend resolutely at times which was an improvement on the previous Saturday where they gave away two sloppy goals in blustery conditions at Yeovil.

“It was a tough test and a proper performance to win that game 2-0,” said Matt Taylor. “To limit them (Swindon) to half chances and still have the ability to score and to be a threat was great.

“It wasn’t pretty at times but it was never going to be in the middle of a storm. The pitch has taken on a lot of water the last couple of weeks, but that was a proper performance.

“I am really pleased with it on the back of last week when we showed our ability for only a small period of the game.

“Today, even when it wasn’t perfect and even when we were up against it, against the wind in the first half, we dug in.

“I think it was the Cheltenham game here a few weeks ago when I said we needed to get in at 1-0 or 0-0 and we did that today and second half they (Swindon) threw a few more bodies forward but without creating too much and we had that threat about us.”

That threat manifested itself in the 13th-minute when Jayden Stockley and Jonathon Forte combined well to score the opening goal and Matt was pleased to see that partnership blossoming. 

“That is six in 10 for him (Jonathon) now and he is a threat,” said Matt.  “You can see that partnership working. I don’t think Jayden won the first contact but he just disrupted their back line and then Jonno is in the right place. He is getting older but he is getting quicker and more mobile.

"At the moment I am having to look after him a bit in terms of the length and the duration that he plays but I want to keep him on for as long as I can because he gives us that outlet. He has got that raw pace you need.” 

Jayden then added a second when he headed home Pierce Sweeney’s cross midway through the first half, but it was the clean sheet that pleased Matt the most. 

“I was honest with the group last week (away at Yeovil), I said we can’t concede sloppy goals because we work so hard to score goals ourselves so clean sheets are important,” he said.  “I am pleased for Christy and the back four. It is a confidence boost but it is no surprise. They are an honest bunch and they try and take the feedback, instruction or direction we give them onboard. However, that was about guts at times today and the goals were a bonus of the back of that.”