Main man Davids is stirred by comeback
EXETER ................2
EDGAR Davids admitted his first game in sole charge of Barnet should have ended in disaster – before revelling in his side’s stunning comeback.
Goals from Danny Coles and Scot Bennett put play-off chasing Exeter in control at the break.
But Jon Nurse gave the Bees hope with a clinical finish 14 minutes from time before Andy Iro salvaged a point with a 97th-minute leveller.
Head coach Davids, who was in full control for the first time following the departure of Mark Robson, was receiving medical treatment for a dislocated shoulder when his side launched the stirring comeback.
But the Dutch legend admitted: “We played really badly in the first half and could have been 6-0 down at the break. That is no exaggeration.
“They really could have killed us off, but it all changed in the second half.That tells you something about the spirit and mentality we have got here and now we need to build on this result. I am really pleased with the comeback we made and it keeps the progression going.
“My shoulder popped out and I also got a stud in the face. We will have to see how I am for the next game.”
Exeter carved out a steady stream of chances in the first half with Matt Oakley forcing Graham Stack into a smart save before the former Leicester City midfielder fired wastefully wide.
The home side did have the ball in the net after John O’Flynn headed Alan Gow’s cross past Stack, but the linesman immediately flagged for off-side.
Exeter’s persistence finally paid dividends on 34 minutes and it came courtesy of a text-book training ground move.
Gow clipped a corner into the six-yard box and Coles rose highest to head past Stack for his second goal of the season. Exeter struck a second on the stroke of half-time when Bennett poked home from close range after Coles’ header was blocked.
The Grecians invited pressure as the second half progressed and Barnet pulled a goal back on 76 when substitute Nurse latched on to John Oster’s pass before planting an angled drive past Krysiak.
And the comeback was completed seven minutes into injury time after Iro collected Jake Hyde’s knock down before spinning and scrambling the ball over the line.
Exeter boss Paul Tisdale fumed: “I’m sure the referee had good reason to play eight minutes of injury time. There were injuries to Edgar Davids and Liam Sercombe, but I often watch replays of home games and we don’t seem to get it.
“It seemed very generous, but there’s nothing I can do to change it. I still expect us to defend well and see it out.We were terrific in the first half and we could easily have scored four or five. I could see that we were getting deeper and didn’t put pressure on the ball. Everyone could see that.”