A REALITY CHECK FOR BOS MATT
EXETER City manager Matt Taylor’s winning start to life in management was ended by Newport as a catalogue of errors cost his side.
Taylor saw Jayden Stockley head Exeter into a firsthalf lead, but defensive errors led to Mark Harris barging his way through to plunder an equaliser for County nine minutes from time.
Newport started well and Jamille Matt forced Christy Pym into a smart stop with an instinctive shot from 18 yards. From the resultant corner, Jake Taylor cleared off the line to keep it goalless.
Stockley fired wide as Exeter hit back, but after 21 minutes the striker headed in his second goal of the season from Jake Taylor’s free-kick after Stockley had been fouled 25 yards from goal.
Jordan Tillson volleyed high early in the second half for Exeter, while Lee Holmes saw a header saved by Newport goalkeeper Joe Day as the home side got on top. Day then produced a stunning reflex stop to keep out Stockley’s close-range header and Nicky Law clipped the top of the Newport crossbar from the follow-up.
However, a poor mistake by Exeter’s Dean Moxey and then Troy Brown allowed Harris to barge his way through and smash an equaliser.
Taylor, whose winning start to management was ended by one of his former clubs, said: “I thought we had enough chances to win the game.
“One of them has hit the keeper in the face. He didn’t know too much about it, but full credit to them because they defended their goal when we put them under pressure.
“It is a mistake for their goal, or a combination of mistakes, which is always disappointing, but we weren’t bad at all. I’m not going to berate my defenders. We all make mistakes.
“It’s another point on the board. We weren’t going to win every game and people were beginning to get carried away, so maybe it’s what was needed in terms of a reality check, but certainly my players weren’t.
“My boys know what a tough season lies ahead. Newport are a good team and it is a point gained.”
County manager Michael Flynn felt his side were not in top form, but he was delighted to take something from the game.
“It was a bit frustrating because we were the better team without being at our best. It is frustrating that we couldn’t get a few more goals,” he said.
“Exeter are a strong outfit. You can see why they have been there or thereabouts in the last few years. The character and the resilience to keep going and score that goal was pleasing. “I don’t take any notice of the league table at the moment. We had a game plan to try to win a football match and it nearly paid off.”
EXETER: Pym 7, Sweeney 7, Brown 6, Aaron Martin 6, Moxey 6, Taylor 7, Tillson 7, Boateng 6 (Law 74, 7), Holmes 7 (Lee Martin 83, 6), Forte 6 (Abrahams 67, 7), Stockley 8 Subs not used: Woodman, Hamon, Jay, Oates
NEWPORT: Day 8, Franks 7, Bennett 7, Demetriou, Pipe (Marsh-Brown, 46), Bakinson 6, Sheehan 7 (Harris 73, 8), Dolan 9, Butler 7, Matt 7 (Semenyo 60, 7), Amond Subs not used: Hornby-Forbes, O’Brien, Townsend, Cooper