Exeter City midfielder Tom Carroll admitted the players need to be more clinical and streetwise to put an end to the losing run which now stretches to five after Wigan Athletic’s smash-and-grab win at St James Park on Saturday. Goals in the eighth and then the 97 th minute gave the Latics all three points in a 2-0 win, despite City dominating the contest.
The Grecians had 72 per cent possession, 29 shots, 17 corners, but it wasn’t until stoppage-time where they forced Sam Tickle into a single save. In a dramatic added-on period, City had all four of the shots on target they had in the game, hit the post, and saw an effort cleared off the line – as well as finding time to concede the second goal.
Martial Godo put the Latics ahead in the eighth minute when he slotted home from close range after City were caught out by a long ball over the top. Shaun Maloney’s men sat deep and defended, and then sealed it very late on when Jordan Jones’ deflected effort – which went down as a Will Aimson own goal – wrongfooted Vil Sinisalo.
It is now five League One defeats in a row for Gary Caldwell’s men, who drop down to 16 th , and seven in eight in all competitions. On another day though, this should have been a routine win for City, had they taken any of the whole flurry of chances they fashioned.
“It is a really disappointing defeat and not one we deserved,” Carroll said. “We were really good in spells today, but the second goal summed it up, we didn’t get the rub of the green today, but we shot ourselves in the foot conceding the early goal at home as they helped the way they set up and the way they wanted to play.
“When you concede early at this level against a team sitting deep, it is hard to get back into the game. We had 29 shots and have not scored, it is frustrating, but we have to stay positive, as a few teams against now we have been the better side and not won and that keeps happening
