Gary Caldwell again frustrated with referees and poor decisions – but it is more than two years since City scored a goal in a home league in the first 15 minutes.
Referees have disappointed Exeter City boss Gary Caldwell yet again this season, although he acknowledged that the Grecians’ dismal starts are partly to blame. On Saturday, City conceded an early goal against Lincoln City at home, which gave the Imps the opportunity to slow down play and waste time.
After six straight losses and more than seven hours without a goal, City eventually forced an equalizer and emerged with a point. Ten minutes into stoppage time, Ryan Trevitt’s header from a Demetri Mitchell cross tied the score at one and gave the Grecians a point.
It could have been more had Mitchell not squandered a gilt-edged chance when one-on-one with the goalkeeper late on. But then again, had Sean Roughan not somehow hit the crossbar when presented with an open goal when it was still 1-0, City would surely have lost seven in a row.
It was an edgy start at St James Park for City and it was no surprise when Alistair Smith swept Lincoln ahead in the 20 th minute. Exeter were struggling to keep the ball, looked wide open defensively, and seemingly lacking in confidence, and the Imps could and perhaps should have made that dominance count. In the end, City rallied to earn a point from a losing position for the first time all season.
But slow starts have been a feature of City’s game for a long time – far too long in fact. Alex Hartridge scored in the fourth minute of the Carabao Cup tie with Stevenage in August, but early goals on home turf are a rarity.
In the whole of last season, Exeter netted just one goal in the first 20 minutes of any game at home, and four inside the first half an hour. The last time the Grecians scored a league goal at home in the first 15 minute of a game was on October 2, 2021, when Tim Dieng netted in the fifth minute against Walsall.
“The second half we were excellent and the first time this season we have come back from losing to gain something,” manager Gary Caldwell said. “I was delighted with the players, with the run we are on, it would have been easy to feel hard done by and watch a referee allow a team to slow the game down again for 70 minutes.
“We were edgy in the first half, but the second half had the rhythm of the early season. We created chances, were still a bit edgy in front of goal, but scored a brilliant goal, and had moments at the end we could have won it. But we have to improve on transition when attacking as it was too easy to counter attack us.”
One moment that left Caldwell annoyed with referee Jeremy Simpson, in addition to allowing the visiting team to timewaste, was the yellow card dished out to Paudie O’Connor instead of a red. Vincent Harper had been breaking forward when the Irishman cynically hauled him down, but rather than grabbing his shirt, he clearly pulled him back by the neck. It was dangerous and reckless and should have seen him given his marching order.
“If you raise your hands and pull someone around the throat, it is endangering an opponent and a reckless challenge,” Caldwell said. “I am really frustrated with referees at the moment. They slowed down the whole game, but they didn’t act on it.
“Every week we watch a team here, and it is our fault for giving them a goal start, we have to get better at that, but the ref allows them to slow the game down. When we are winning, 10 or 12 minutes are added-on, but when we are losing, it is the old system. Every week when we concede, which is of our doing, the ref allows the opposition to slow down, and clearly it is a tactic to quieten the crowd.”
It’s cup action time for the Grecians now. Next Saturday, Wigan Athletic will play in the FA Cup first round; however, on Tuesday night, the Championship team Middlesbrough and Carabao Cup fourth round match takes place. St. James Park will be packed out as City attempts to make it to the quarterfinals for the first time ever, albeit they may have to make due without two more injured players.
Reece Cole was substituted out during stoppage time due to a “bad looking injury,” while Jack Aitchison was substituted out due to a minor groin injury. After Saturday, the midfield player was sent to the hospital for X-rays, and according to Caldwell, the doctors were hoping that the damage was not as severe as they had initially thought.
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