NEWS FLASH: Gary Caldwell has been fired by Exeter City management following four straight defeats.

Gary Caldwell sacked as Partick Thistle manager - Glasgow Live

Exeter City heads haven’t dropped despite four losses in a row

“This is the time to lift the spirits up and come together.”

Exeter City attacker Jack Aitchison said that heads haven’t dropped in the Grecians dressing room despite a fourth successive defeat. City were arguably the better of the two teams at home to Barnsley on Saturday before being beaten at the death.

Demetri Mitchell twice hit the post at St James Park – once with the score at 0-0, and then again deep into stoppage-time with City behind. But it was a John McAtee goal in the 90 th minute which was the difference for the 1-0 win.

 

Gary Caldwell sacked as Partick Thistle manager - Glasgow LiveCity had given the ball away, and it was worked to Owen Dodgson on the left who had acres of space to pick out a cross, which McAtee got his head to, nodding home, to send the away fans wild. The goal sent the Tykes third in the League One table and saw Exeter drop down to 12 th for what was a fourth straight loss, and a fifth in six in the league.

Read More – Exeter City ‘throw it away’ after conceding terrible late goal at home to Barnsley

Read More – Exeter City 0 Barnsley 1 – Grecians beaten again after late winner for Tykes

“I felt in the first half we played nice football, it was not the worst performance, but we conceded at the end, and shot ourselves in the foot,” Aitchion said. “We gave it our all but we were just unlucky, the post stopped us twice, and little factors are keeping us out. It is just not going in, not for the lack of us not trying, and we will keep trying our best.

“The morale is good. We are playing nice stuff but it is not going in. We are putting the work in training so we shouldn’t be down. This is the time to lift the spirits up and come together. It is time to go to work, get heads in it, and come back stronger.”

Jack Aitchison of Exeter City looks dejected during the Sky Bet League 1 Match between Exeter City and Barnsley at St James Park, Devon on 7 October 2023. Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK

The 23-year-old was making his first start in over a month after a hernia injury. He came close to getting on the scoresheet in the first half when Tykes goalkeeper Liam Roberts slipped and could only half clear the ball, which bounced off the Scot, but unluckily onto the roof of the net.

Mitchell rattled the woodwork from 25 yards in the second half and the game looked to be finishing goalless until McAtee’s late goal. Even then in stoppage-time there was time for Mitchell to hit the post again with a late header, before McAtee missed an open goal to make it 2-0 with the last kick of the game.

Gary Caldwell sacked as Partick Thistle manager - Glasgow Live

Exeter City are back in action on Tuesday night when they host Arsenal U21s in the EFL Trophy. The next league action for the Grecians is in a fortnight when Wigan Athletic visit in League One.

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