Super Sam gets the party started as Exeter go top
SUPER Sam Nombe is back in the Exeter City team and the goals as his late leveller put the Grecians on the verge of the League Two title.
City’s 1-1 draw at Northampton Town sent Matt Taylor’s men to the top of the table with just one game to play.
Exeter were promoted on Tuesday after their 2-1 win over Barrow and travelled to the Cobblers, themselves seeking to join City in League One, still with half a chance of the title. But after the vital point, combined with Forest Green Rovers’ shock home defeat to Harrogate Town, the Grecians are now in top spot.
Victory on Saturday at St James Park at home to Port Vale will seal a
memorable title for City - joining the class of 1990. In any case, if the Green Devils lose at Mansfield Town, who like Vale, are still chasing automatic promotion, City will be champions.
“Promotion was a great achievement for the boys,” Nombe said, after scoring his tenth goal of the season. “But once we got promoted, we thought the job is not done and we can get to the top of the league, which we have done. Now it is all in our hands to finish off the job.
“The reason we play is to have moments like this and cherish them. It is a positive we are at home on our turf. We will go for it to get the three points to win the league.
“My focus was to get back to get us over the line and to get promoted and we are now in a great position to win the league and I want to be
involved in it as much as possible.”
Nombe has had a stop-start season for City after a positive Covid test disrupted the start of the campaign before suffering a hamstring tear in December. He came back two months later, but suffered another tear in March.
That had looked like it could have ruled the 23-year-old out for the season, but having returned to training ahead of schedule, he was able to feature in the run-in, something he said was a motivating factor.
His flicked finish at Sixfields against Jon Brady’s side was his first goal since December and a huge one to grab.
Nombe came off the bench in the 70th minute and with his first touch equalised, flicking in at the near post from a Jake Caprice cross, with the goal coming on a quick counterattack
when a Northampton goal was ruled out for offside.
“They had moments but we defended our hearts out, and Cam (Dawson) made some great saves to keep us in the game,” Nombe added. “We thought we will get one and maybe two if we kept showing the resilience and defensive strength to stay in the game
“Cam took the free-kick quickly and we started on the counter and JC has pace and I had to make sure I picked it right to guide it in. I have been working a lot since coming back and credit to the boys for keeping us there and getting the job done for us.
“It is practice makes improvement, not perfect, as you can always get better, and the understanding to get in the right position.
“We had chances to win the game but we will take what we get, a well
deserved point. It is now in our hands to go and get the three points and then it doesn’t matter what they do if we get the win.”
Nombe had one last moment deep into stoppage time to ensure City came away with a point. The striker headed one off the line with the final touch of the game just as Fraser Horsfall thought his header could have won it at the death.
It was the kind of never-say-die defending Taylor was delighted with to make sure City’s championship hopes are in their own hands.
The manager added: “We have wilted here in the past and the physical bombardment but we have withstood it.
“It was two teams who gave everything and that was a serious game of football and we came through it, so I am delighted.”