Western Morning News (Saturday)
Taylor frustrated to be inactive this weekend
EXETER City have arranged a behindclosed-doors friendly match against Tiverton Town for Monday afternoon following their planned trip to Stevenage falling victim to Covid-19.
On Monday, Boro informed the EFL that they would be unable to fulfil their next two fixtures following recent positive Covid-19 tests and the requirement for players and staff to self-isolate, which meant today’s game against the Grecians has been postponed.
City boss Matt Taylor was keen for the club to arrange a game to get the minutes in the legs of some of those returning to fitness and Tiverton have stepped in with the ,atch taking place on the 3G pitch at the club’s Cliff Hill training ground. Nevertheless, Taylor was left disappointed that the game had been called off having lost to Harrogate Town on Tuesday night.
And he once again was left bemoaning the lack of consistency from the EFL as on Tuesday night, Sunderland were forced to play against Wimbledon despite eight positive Covid-19 tests, and the Grecians themselves having earlier in the season faced a Scunthorpe United team who had multiple positive tests in the run-up to the game.
When asked if he thought today’s game with Stevenage should be going ahead or should be cancelled, Taylor said: “We’re disappointed as we want to play as many games as we can. I think Scunthorpe were in a worse situation when we played them so it’s not for me to discuss.
“We are disappointed as it’s a game we planned and prepared for and will probably be played when Stevenage are probably in a better position than they are now.
“You are asking the wrong person about consistency and I’ve probably moaned enough about the EFL this season.”
He added that the club looked to arrange a friendly in order to get some minutes into the legs of players returning from injury, with Nigel Atangana and Nicky Law needing 90 minutes, while both Lewis Page and Lewis Ward are back in training after their injury absences and could feature as well.
“If we have to have a training game, it’s never the same, so we are trying to assess that as the week goes on,” Taylor added.
He said that they would be continue to prepare as normal for the Boxing Day game at home to Forest Green Rovers, with captain Jake Taylor adding that the 10 day break the players have may be an advantage as it allows the team to freshen up
The skipper, who scored in both of City’s back-to-back home games against Tranmere Rovers and Harrogate, said: “It may be a good opportunity to rest a little bit. It has been a hectic schedule so far and hectic schedule after this, so a few down days and then have a full week ahead of the Forest Green game.
“It could give us an advantage, but I think a little bit of rest for some of the boys who have played a lot will be nice and I hope we can be fresh over the Christmas period.”
The ten day break is the longest gap between matches that City have had all season - having only had two spare midweeks since the end of September - and after Forest Green on Boxing Day, they will travel to League Two leaders Newport County on December 29, before the long trip to Barrow on January 2.