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Exeter City 'sleepwalking towards relegation' as 'hideous goals' conceded in Wigan defeat

The goals are hideous goals to give away. I don't know any other way to describe it."

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Exeter City are sleepwalking towards relegation after a fifth straight defeat and a 13 th game in a row without a win as the Grecians were beaten 2-0 at Wigan Athletic.

Gary Caldwell got the better of his former side as he led the Latics to victory over Matt Taylors men, who leapfrogged City in the bid to avoid dropping down to League Two.

City yet again had a shocking start and within five minutes they went behind. A cross was swung in and Joe Taylor was left completely unmarked to head home and give the hosts an early lead.

It took until the final five minutes to seal the win when Frazer Murray scored straight from a corner which City failed to deal with, condemning them to more misery.

It is now 13 games without a win, equaling the run in the league in the Autumn of 2023. The club record of 18 in the league (20 in all competitions) spanning the end of the 1994/95 and start of 1995/96 seasons are the next milestones in sight.

Now only goal difference separates City from the bottom four with a seven goal buffer to Blackpool as they earned a point at Cardiff City. With Wigan winning to leapfrog Exeter, and Burton Albion, Doncaster Rovers and Leyton Orient all winning as well, those above the Devon side are pulling away.

We started slowly. I thought it looked like we were chasing the speed of the game, Taylor said. The goals are hideous goals to give away. I don't know any other way to describe it, was such a poor goal to concede, and then we're chasing once again.

But we looked a better team with the two forwards on the pitch. We've got a bit more joy, just without the end product - both teams lacked real quality in that end part. And then what's been a constant that Achilles heel which we speak about of a set piece goal against. At the moment, we've got to sort out what is a clear and obvious weakness.

We actually had some quite good moments in around the 18 yard box and for a save, a block, a ball going wide, but last 10 peters out because we're 2-0 down, and were 2-0 down because once again, we can't defend that set piece.

Taylor made just the one change to the Exeter City side who were beaten 3-2 at Luton Town on Tuesday night. Jayden Wareham returned to lead the line with Josh Magennis dropping down to the bench,

Only four minutes were on the clock when Wigan took the lead with their first attack. Murray was given too much time to float a cross in, and somehow, Taylor was one of two unmarked players in the box, and the striker powered a header home. It was shocking defending and the ninth successive game in which the Grecians had conceded the first goal.

Bettoni and Llyton Chapman both nearly got on the end of balls in the box as it was all one way traffic with Wigan totally on top in the early stages. With 15 minutes gone, Taylor made a change with Magennis replacing Timur Tutierov, who didnt seem to be injured; the Sunderland loanee asked why as he came off.

I can't keep waiting, Taylor said when asked about it. I can't keep waiting for this team to find life in itself when the game pushes us behind, and people will say it's quite a drastic reaction, that's what we need.

Were sleepwalking towards relegation. Josh gives us a huge amount, he actually was our best player when he came on. He influenced the game and not enough of us influenced the game, whether that was with his physicality or personality.

I had to choose who to take off and very unfortunate for Timur, and we probably missed him later on in the game when we needed his pace and quality. But I thought it made us a better team, and I'll always make a decision to try and make us a better team. I don't care now if it's minute one or minute 90. I can't afford to be drifting slowly going towards the trap door.

City though were struggling and Harrison Bettoni came inches away from making it two. The teenager found space and saw Joe Whitworth off his line, lobbing the goalkeeper, but fortunately for City, it came back off the crossbar and into the arms of the Crystal Palace loanee. But it was 1-0 at half-time, the 11 th of the last 12 games in which City hadnt scored in the first half.

Taylor made his second sub at the break, with Danny Andrew replacing Johnly Yfeko. But the Latics had the first chance of the second half when Matt Smith took aim from the edge of the box, but it was straight at Whitworth. Jensen Weir then nodded just wide from a corner.

As Exeter piled forward, the Latics should have doubled the lead. Chapman slipped Taylor through and one-on-one he had to score, but Whitworth made an amazing save to deny him. Exeter went straight up the other end and had their best chance of the game when Magennis found Akeel Higgins, but he sliced his attempt wide.

City found some life and Magennis set up Jack McMillan but his header was saved by Sam Tickle before Carlos Mendes Gomes blazed the follow-up over, which was their first effort on target.

But with five minutes to go, City were beaten. Murray swung in a corner which Whitworth failed to deal with as he flapped at the ball, and it flew straight into the net. It made it 2-0, and that was surely that in terms of any hope of a comeback.

It's been a real weakness now, Taylor added of the set piece woes. I think teams are just putting it underneath the crossbar. They know it, we know it. We can't hide away from it.

And on the winning run, he added: Im going to have to keep on searching, but hopefully, some of those answers which are in my head and question marks will come to the fore a little bit more by the way the lads train on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, this week.

Exeter City are back in action next Saturday when they host Leyton Orient. That feels like a must-win game.

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