Exeter City FC

Exeter City manager Matt Taylor says he was disappointed that his side were unable to claim all three points away from home at Oldham Athletic despite his team dominating for much of the match.

The Grecians were held to a 0-0 draw in the north west and had a number of good opportunities to take all three points but were unable to find the net against a determined Oldham side.

Following the match, Matt explained: “I’m tinged with disappointment in terms of not winning the game because we’ve created enough chances, certainly in that second period.

“Their goalkeeper got man of the match, and rightly so. We had a disallowed goal which was marginal having seen it back, no disrespect to Oldham but we were the better team. I think anyone who was here will testify to that. But if you’re the better team then you’ve got to make it count and, unfortunately, we go away with a point. Some will say it’s a point gained, coming away to Oldham, but anyone who was here would say that we’ve missed out on three points.”

Having dominated much of the opportunities, particularly in the second half, Matt believes his side should have taken advantage of their chances having impressed going forward throughout the match.

“Tonight, we had chances, I think that’s the most amount that we’ve had this season and towards the back end of last season,” said Matt. “Maybe it wasn’t our day, but I want more in terms of that end product. In the second half we had a lot more purpose about getting the ball in and around their 18-yard box and we had a bit more intent in our wide players to take the ball higher up the pitch. It created opportunities and we had good chances as well. Dean Moxey has made an incredible block to keep it at 0-0, we came so close at one end and then a bit of good defending keeps us in the game. But to dominate the game so strongly, and then to come away with a one point, I’m disappointed.”

Jayden Richardson made his City debut on the night as the Grecians converted to a back three with the on-loan Nottingham Forest man and Jack Sparkes deployed as wing backs. Matt was keen to praise the youngsters for their performances and believes they will only improve.

He said: “I thought they both did well, I still think there’s more to come from both of them in terms of their attacking intent which you probably saw from Jack in the second half.

“Jayden started to tire as the game went on, it’s his first league game, they’re both 18-year-olds, so I’m really pleased in terms of the youth side of our game today. I freshened it up with energy with the wing backs, with Lee Martin and Matt Jay. Some of them were enforced in terms of the dead legs and the injuries we picked up at the weekend, but we were tough, and we played when we needed to play, but for any good performance there has to be an end, and that’s goals. That will be the difference in terms of winning games and picking up points when you’re on top.”

The Grecians now set their sights on another long away trip as they travel to Morecambe on Saturday, but Matt says the fitness in the squad and their ability to keep going in the later stages has pleased him.

“It’s another long journey, we’ve made a long journey here on the day,” said Matt. “You can’t say they’re not fit; we’re getting stronger and stronger as the games go on. I actually felt if they believed in themselves in an attacking sense a little bit earlier in that first period then we might have created a little bit more. It’s so difficult when they were defending for their lives and the keeper is pulling off saves, and we were the ones making the running and putting the pressure on, but it just wasn’t quite our night tonight.”