Exeter City FC

Dan Green was delighted with Gary Warren’s late winner and cited it as a just reward for his side’s efforts in the Premier League Trophy against Doncaster.

Gary Warren headed home from Joel Randall’s corner with 89 minutes on the clock in the game’s only goal, as the Grecians found a way past a Doncaster defence that hadn’t previously conceded a goal in the tournament.

“I thought Doncaster worked really hard and gave us a tough challenge, and off the back of that we had to be really consistent in our approach in the game – we didn’t drop off and when we didn’t take our chances it would have been easy to get disheartened, but the boys stuck with it and their approach throughout the game was excellent.

“We created chances, we’re slightly disappointed we didn’t take more of them to make the game slightly more comfortable but the fact that we stuck at it is a really good sign. Based on the chances, the scoreline probably doesn’t reflect the balance of the game.

“You have to take those chances, so what we said was it didn’t matter if the goal came in the 95th-minute or the fifth-minute – we’d take it, and we just had to stick at it and find a way, and that was what we did tonight.”

Green was able to call upon several senior players for the encounter, and it was ultimately substitute Gary Warren who scored with a powerful header from Randall’s set-piece. City created an array of chances in the game, but left it late to break the deadlock and Green was full of praise for his senior players.

“Gary Warren is brilliant with the lads, even though he’s been out injured he’s always a voice to speak to the lads, Parkesy leads a little bit more by example so he’s great in there, and Tilly’s exactly the same – I couldn’t ask for any more in the way the pros have gone about their business and that’s key when we sign players too – that we know they’ll be of assistance to our younger players - people they can look up to and base their games on.

“I’m really pleased for the lads whenever they play well because on Monday they put the work in. You don’t always see that on these nights, you don’t always have good games but when you do it’s important they enjoy it and reap rewards for their hard work. I thought Ben Seymour in particular tonight was a great example – 90% of what he did was about competing and making things good, and then he got his one or two moments where he has half-chances – it’s a really good performance from the individuals.”

The visitors had arrived at SJP with a faultless record, but it’s now the Grecians who top the group on goal difference. Green was well aware of the strengths that Rovers posed, but ultimately was delighted to come away with a win.

“We knew Doncaster were going to be tough and provide us with a lot of different challenges. It was about finding a way tonight and that’s what we had to do – I’m really pleased we got the goals at the end because I thought we deserved that – but you don’t always get what you deserve, so fair play to the lads who worked hard, stuck at it and I’m really pleased with the win.”