Exeter City FC

Exeter City manager Matt Taylor said he and the players are relishing the pressure of the promotion battle heading into Saturday’s match with Crawley Town.

The Grecians go into the match at St James Park third in the table, but it is so close at the top of the table that they could end the day anywhere from fifth to joint-top of the division with Swindon Town.

With 12 games to go, and only three automatic promotion spots up for grabs, the City manager says it is a situation and pressure that the players are relishing.

“It is exciting,” he said. “There is a lot of different pressures in football and in life and a lot of worse places to be than challenging at the right end of the table.

“I think three points separate us to Swindon and us below to Cheltenham as well, so there is lots of teams that can affect things.

“However, we can’t worry about anybody else apart from ourselves and our own performance. You have got to go into a game, like this weekend, with confidence and a belief that you are going to be the difference.

“The group of players have shown that this week in training and throughout the season as well. Everyone is allowed a blip, now and then, and hopefully we have had our blip in terms of Northampton and we put that behind us and we start looking forward.”

Crawley Town will provide strong opposition though. They have a good record against Exeter and, having recently appointed the club’s former assistant manager John Yems, have picked up form to sit 12th in the Sky Bet League Two table – 11 points off the play-off places.

“We know what a good team Crawley Town are,” said Matt. “John Yems is someone we know pretty well at the club and he has gone in there and done a fantastic job and they have picked up some really impressive results of late.

“John played a big part in our success during the period he was here. His recruitment was a real benefit to the club in terms of knowing players in and around the London area, but he also knows the game and he has probably improved a lot since then from his time at Bournemouth as well.

“There is a lot to admire about John Yems and the way he goes about his work and he is fondly thought of within our football club, but we still want to win the game this weekend. It is a big game for us.

There are 12 games left and we keep saying it but every game is a big game and it is another opportunity to put points on the board. Our home form of late, and throughout the season, has been pretty strong and we always look forward to playing at the Park.”