BREAKING NEWS: “I am not stupid and I know it’s about results” – Cheltenham Town after Exeter City defeat

Exeter City 1 Cheltenham Town 0

Does that feel like a match we’ve seen several times this season?

Yes. I never felt uncomfortable apart from a 10 minute spell, where they scored while we were trying to get the subs on. You could see one or two were flagging a little bit and we were desperately trying to make the subs. Aside from that, we knew they were going to have possession, but I never felt uncomfortable. We’ve had enough opportunities on the counter and on turnovers for it to fall our way, rather than going Exeter’s way.

In that 10 minute spell, did it feel inevitable something was coming?

Not inevitable. We were trying to make the changes. Josh (Williams) had just had treatment. Will Ferry had an ankle and Ben (Williams) we were waiting to find out how he was and we couldn’t obviously take off all three of them. We had to give them two or three minutes to see if they were going to be able to play through it. As soon as we were able to make the changes, I think we’d have been able to stem the tide. We were probably 30 seconds the wrong side of it.

How do you evaluate the performance overall?

Apart from a 10-minute spell…it’s difficult because I understand where we are at the minute. It puts extra emphasis on everything. It might sound really stupid, but if we’d won against Barnsley and come here and put in the same performance, you’d understand the set-up and you’d be thinking, it’s well-organised, looking a threat on the counter. When you lose the game and we are where we are, it’s difficult for me to turn around and say it’s 10 minutes away from being a good away performance.

The lack of goals is putting pressure on the defence and they had to be hands to the pump didn’t they?

Yes and I know you’re going to ask me about goals because it’s the obvious thing on everyone’s minds at the minute. We are set up with enough attacking players on the pitch, you could see we do enough work on the attacking play and you can also see that we have forwards at the minute, who are desperately short of confidence and you can’t magic that up and give it to them. Unfortunately, it’s a tough place for them to be, but they are going to have to keep working through it and be brave enough to keep putting themselves in areas where one is going to bounce to them and they can

bobble one in. If I have one gripe, it’s that at times. There are balls in the box…I can’t say it’s down to bravery, it’s the mindset that they have to be bold enough to keep putting themselves in there. A number of times balls have gone in the box, or we’ve had chances, there is some play crying out for someone to get on the end of it. They have to be brave enough to keep putting themselves on the line.