GRECIANS IN HUNT TO GO STRAIGHT UP
DELIGHTED Exeter boss Matt Taylor celebrated another ‘big result’ as his side saw off struggling Oldham.
The Grecians moved up to second in the table behind Forest Green thanks to second-half goals from Kyle Taylor and Jevani Brown – despite a late red card for substitute Nigel Atangana.
“It was a pretty brutal game to watch at times,” said Taylor.
“Whether that was down to the pitch, fatigue or even nerves from both sides, I’m not sure.
“Once we got the first goal early in the second half, though, that helped settle us down.
“Credit to Oldham, though. They came back at us with the penalty and our sending-off, and I was starting to think a bit of illdiscipline might cost us.
“Make no mistake, this is a big result for us. We were far from our best, so this has been a big three points for us.
“We’ve got ten games left now, there’s still 30 points to play for, and that’s a hell of a lot.”
Oldham’s top scorer Davis Keillor-Dunn swivelled before seeing a 20-yard drive tipped over by Cameron Dawson.
At the other end, Exeter’s former Oldham midfielder Tim Dieng darted in to meet Brown’s cross, but failed to make a decisive touch.
Grecians skipper Pierce Sweeney glanced a header inches off target as he rose to meet Archie Collins’ corner-kick.
Seven minutes after the restart, Exeter struck when Taylor nodded home Jake Caprice’s cross.
The visitors were clearly buoyed by their opener, though Sam Stubbs ought to have made it two when he headed over the top from five yards.
Oldham’s Sam Hart then saw a 73rd-minute spot-kick saved by Dawson after Atangana had felled home sub Christopher Missilou.
Atangana was red-carded in stoppage time after he clattered into Missilou again, before Brown coolly converted Caprice’s cross in the dying seconds.
For Oldham, it meant to a fourth straight loss, and manager John Sheridan was understandably downbeat.
“It’s another tough one to take,” he said. “We started OK.
In the first half you wouldn’t have known who was the top or the bottom team.
“It was very tight, and possibly we had the better chances in the first half. I think the wind was a factor, but the first goal was a bad one.
“There was no pressure on them from us in the lead-up to it, and the lad gets up for a free header to score.
“That gave them the edge at that point, but then we got the break with the penalty. That summed our story up, though. It was a massive moment that was wasted.”