Maxted determined to build on weekend win
Exeter goalkeeper says Morecambe clash is a ‘must-win’ game for the Grecians
GOALKEEPER Jonny Maxted said that Exeter City will be hoping to take the momentum from Saturday’s 3-1 win over Stevenage into the ‘must win’ game with Morecambe othis evening (6pm).
Three fantastic goals from standin captain Archie Collins, top goalscorer Matt Jay and striker Ryan Bowman secured what was a first win in six for the Grecians and moved them up to eighth in the League Two table, although with games in hand on those above them.
One of those sides in tonight’s opponents, who sit two points and two places above City, having played one game more, and Maxted said that the Grecians hope to take the momentum from Saturday’s win into the fixture.
“The boys will be confident going into it,” the goalkeeper said. “We know it will be a tough game, especially with the pitch as it is, but that’s no excuse and we just want to keep the confidence and the momentum going, and the win today is great for momentum.
“It’s a must win game with the table as it is, so we need to take the momentum from today and go in with high hopes and try to get the win. It is all about momentum and we need to keep that going.”
Maxted was one of the stars of City’s win against Stevenage as he made a brilliant one-handed save to deny Matthew Stevens with the score at 1-0.
That allowed Jay to double Exeter’s advantage before Bowman added a third, moments after Stevenage had reduced the arrears to 2-1.
“It was a crucial save, definitely, and then Lewis Page made a crucial block on the cover, as did Jake Caprice in the first half,” City boss Matt Taylor said.
“We speak about fine margins, but they are important moments and dictate what happens in a game.
“The pleasing aspect is off the back of a couple of games where we feel we could have got more out of them, we have scored three goals and a good three points and we can go into Tuesday’s game with a lot fo confidence.
With this evening’s game being the third of 16 in 53 games, as City play Tuesday-Saturday for eight weeks in a row, Taylor said that he may to freshen up the side for the visit of the Shrimps.
He said: “We worked really hard today and I hope not taken too much out of us for Tuesday.
“The pitch is soft and heavy and takes it out of your legs, this group works its socks off and I hope it’s not taken too much out of us, and I’ll need to pick a sensible team that can go on against Morecambe with a bit of life.
“The group cannot play 90 minutes every week so we will need everyone, and I will have to assess the group and see who is fit.
“You will have seen the players doing some work after the game on Saturday and that was in preparation for Tuesday. That’s how different it is at the moment and we just have to try and prepare them to put their best out there.
“Sometimes, they won’t be able to do that because of the nature of playing Saturday-Tuesday, SaturdayTuesday – the rigours of that are too much for a young squad.
“The injury to Joel Randell is down to fatigue, the stress on the body. We don’t want to put them in danger, but we want to keep playing them and they are still learning the job.