Matt Taylor eyeing improvements as high-flying Exeter earn late Macclesfield win

Posted Sunday, February 16, 2020 by PA

Matt Taylor insisted his Exeter side had improvements to make despite joining Swindon at the top of the Sky Bet League Two table with a 3-2 win at Macclesfield.

The Grecians had thrown away a two-goal lead they had established early on and looked to be heading for a draw before Ryan Bowman struck with four minutes left to move level on points at the top.

And manager Taylor wants to see a more clinical edge to his side if they are to win promotion to League One.

“As pleased as I am, I’m left wanting more,” he said.

“We were excellent for the first half-an-hour and the really top teams – and I know we’re nowhere near that yet – make that good first half-hour into a good half of football and we go in 2-0, possibly 3-0, up and we make it a bit more comfortable.

“We played some excellent stuff and managed the game well but then a really poor goal from our point of view gave them something to believe in and to buy into. We’ve got to get that out of our game.

“Macclesfield got back in it in the second half and then it was pretty even.

“We weren’t as strong with the wind in the second half as we might have thought but I’m absolutely delighted to come away with three points.

“It doesn’t take away from how pleased I am now but we need to improve on those moments if we want to be a top team and be successful.”

Exeter had raced into an early 2-0 lead thanks to Nicky Ajose and Pierce Sweeney but were pegged back when a clearance ricocheted off Connor Kirby and looped under Lewis Ward’s crossbar.

Macc captain Fiacre Kelleher equalised in the second half and Exeter were struggling against their relegation-battling hosts before Bowman struck after 86 minutes.

Macclesfield head coach Mark Kennedy was scratching his head after more costly lapses in concentration from his players.

“No team has come in and beaten us fair and square,” he said. “We are handing teams things – they were 2-0 up through someone not picking up their man again.

“I’m not interested in naming names but players have not carried out their job, doing what we ask them to do.

“Yesterday we went through goals that have really hurt us and one of those was at Leyton Orient, and Exeter have scored two identical goals today.

“We know we’re going to get a really tough game, it doesn’t matter who we play, and we know they have to play really well to beat us but if I was playing against us, I’d say to my players ‘keep on going, keep plugging away because one of their players will switch off’ and that’s where we’re at at the minute.”