Exeter can get back into play-off spot with win at Barrow
EXETER City captain Jake Taylor said that the 4-1 victory in over league leaders Cambridge United was a ‘special win’– but it will count for nothing if they don’t take home the points from the long trip to Barrow tonight.
The skipper was instrumental in the hammering dished out to the U’s on Saturday which combined with other results, put Exeter’s promotion fate back in their own hands.
The Grecians stayed eighth in the League Two table, but cut the gap on 7th placed Newport County to just one point, and a win tonight would see them leap back into the play-off spots for the first time in eight weeks.
Tonight’s clash at Holker Street is City’s game in hand on 6th Forest Green Rovers – who after a run of just one point in six sacked manager Mark Cooper on Sunday – while City could end the night 5th if Morecambe are beaten at home by Scunthorpe United and Newport fail to beat Carlisle.
And the Grecians are only seven points off the top three – with a game in hand – and still have third placed Bolton to play, and skipper Taylor said that the changing room was bouncing after Saturday’s win, but it was important to back it up at Barrow tonight in order for the promotion push to remain on track.
“It was a massive win for us,” the captain said on what was just a second win in seven for the Grecians. “We haven’t had too many lately and to come to a team in good form, top of the league, and to put in a performance like that and go on and win the game in the way we did, it definitely something to build on,
“We played well, started well with Ryan getting the goal early and that helped us, and we seemed to get stronger as the game went on. They had a good spell start of the second half and 2-1 is a not a nice scoreline, but to get the third and fourth breeds confidence and it is bouncing changing room in there at the moment
“When you have not been a good run of form, it is important to concentrate on the next game and there is no better game than the league leaders away, and we all got a boost from that and probably showed in the performance.
“We are all sticking together and fighting for everything and it showed today. That we nullified them is a credit to the back boys, everyone worked so hard, and it was a team effort and when we come away from home and win 4-1 it is special.
“But it is important that we continue that, as we have another important game at Barrow, and if we don’t do well, then it nullifies what we have done here.”
Tonight’s trip will be the third time that the Grecians have travelled to Barrow this season. The initial fixture on January 2 was postponed due a frozen pitch the day beforehand, while the rearranged fixture on February 9 bit the dust for the same reason, but this time, just an hour before kick-off.
The Bluebirds are 21st in the table after their 2-2 draw with Carlisle, but with a six point cushion and two games in hand over 23rd Southend United, they should have enough to avoid the drop on their first season back in the football league.
Manager Matt Taylor, who hailed the fantastic performance in Saturday’s win, added: “It was only three points but a big three points and sets us up nicely for Tuesday. Time will tell how big it will be but we have to back it up on Tuesday night and that will be a difficult game. Barrow will be a different game but the three points will be more important if we pick up three points on Tuesday night.”
Tonight’s match kicks-off at 7pm, and Exeter City’s match against Southend United at St James Park on Saturday has been moved to kick-off at the earlier time of 12.30pm
As a mark of respect, all 3pm kick-offs on Saturday have been moved to avoid a clash with the funeral of HRH, Prince Phillip the Duke of Edinburgh.