City frustrated after suffering third consecutive defeat
Following Exeter’s home defeat to Dagenham & Redbridge, manager Paul Tisdale lamented what has been a frustrating week for the Grecians.
A third consecutive defeat has left City trying to secure a play-off place in the final four fixtures. The Daggers took an early lead through a Scott Doe header and the Grecians were never able to carve out the opportunities to overturn the scoreline, and Paul drew attention to the lack of cohesion on the field which was going to make getting a result difficult.
“It’s been a really bad week,” conceded Tis. “I’ve just stood in the dressing room and listened to the players – it’s the first time I’ve really heard them say too much, and I’m very pleased with what they’ve said. It wasn’t heated – it was frustrated.
“I’m quite philosophical about it. I was very disappointed on Monday because in the run-in at this stage of the season when you’re fighting for points and you’ve got a lead with five minutes to go – that was the killer for us really in terms of how we felt.
“Today we conceded an early goal, and I would have liked to think we would have gotten a goal back. It was a hard ask and the players put a huge amount of effort in; but it was very disjointed, and the decision-making was impaired by anxiety, frustration, panic, a bit of this and a bit of that.
“I’m desperate to get in the play-offs; we’re finding it very hard at the moment. It’ll go to the last game, I’m sure – and we have to attack Tuesday the best way we can.”
Now Tis is calling on the team to improve as a collective when they travel to fellow promotion-hopefuls Rotherham on Tuesday for an important six-pointer under the floodlights at the New York Stadium,
“Today we tried very hard and it just wasn’t going to be. We just didn’t make collective decisions that had any togetherness about it – it was just disjointed.
“That’s the type of game you’ll see at this time of the season – there’s a driving wind, pitches are bumpy and firm; it’s a time for making good decisions at the same time.
“Now it’s onto the next – it’s the only thing we can do.”
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