Duff’s delight at last-minute Williams goal
EXETER CITY .................. 0 CHELTENHAM TOWN .... 1
MICHAEL Duff hailed a “very good win” for his Cheltenham side after Andy Williams bundled in a 90th-minute winner at fellow Sky Bet League Two promotionhopefuls Exeter City.
The table-topping Robins made the decisive breakthrough when a long Ben Tozer throw into the box was headed onto the crossbar and bundled over the line by front man Williams.
Boss Duff said: “It was a really close game between two good teams in difficult conditions.
“Chances were at a premium, but I thought we played well first half without really testing the goalkeeper.
“But we’ve been due one of them. It’s the first time we’ve had a 90th-minute winner after being done by a few this season. It was nice to fall the right side of one.
“Exeter are the top scorers in the division by a long way, seven or eight goals I think, so to keep a clean sheet, and I think they only had one shot on target, which is from our mistake.
“They are a good team, and if you’d have offered me 0-0 before the game, or even on 85 minutes, I’d probably have taken it.
“To keep the clean sheet was vital and it goes to show (what happens) when the lads drill down on the detail and the work, which they’ve been really good at. It’s a very good win.”
The first half was devoid of any attacking quality, played in all manner of weather conditions.
Exeter captain Jake Taylor skied over from 20 yards ten minutes into the second half, while the away side’s Matty Blair saw his fierce drive superbly blocked.
The first clear chance of the match fell to Taylor, who found himself with only goalkeeper Josh Griffiths to beat, but blazed his shot over the crossbar.
The game burst into life with Exeter substitute Robbie Willmott played through on goal, only to fire straight at Griffiths, while City stopper Jokull Andresson made a brilliant one-handed save to deny Alfie May. However, there was no denying Williams at the death.
Exeter: Andersson, Key, McArdle, Hartridge, Caprice (Willmott 64), Taylor, Collins, Sparkes (Page 74), Jay (Seymour 90), Bowman, Randall (Fisher 90). Not Used: Atangana, Lee, Sweeney.
Booked: Taylor.
Cheltenham: Griffiths, Long, Tozer, Freestone, Blair, Azaz, Thomas, Sercombe, Hussey, Smith (Williams 87), Lloyd (May 46). Not Used: Flinders, Wright, Horton, Chapman, Vassilev.
Goals: Williams 90.
Referee: Josh Smith (Lincolnshire).