Exeter City manager Matt Taylor insists his side still have enough quality to avoid relegation despite slipping into the League One bottom four with six games remaining.
Exeter’s difficult run has dragged them into serious trouble after a long winless spell that has seen them tumble from mid-table into the relegation zone. Their goalless draw with Leyton Orient did little to improve their position, but the performance itself gave the manager encouragement ahead of a crucial run-in.
City are now without a win in 14 matches, a run stretching back to January, and their biggest problem has been goals. They have scored just twice in their last five matches and failed to score in seven of those 14 games, a run that underlines why they now find themselves in danger of dropping out of League One.
Taylor still believes
Despite that, Taylor believes the performance against Orient showed signs that the team can still turn things around before the end of the season.
Speaking after the match, he made it clear that the players are fully aware of the situation but must focus on performances rather than panic about the league table.
“We’re aware of it, and you can’t hide away from it. Everyone’s talking about it. We see it every single day. We feel it. But I liked the character of the team today. I liked the personality of the team.
We can always ask for more in terms of execution and quality. But in terms of the way we went about our work today, I think that’s got to be us for six games.”
Taylor believes that if Exeter reproduce that level of performance in their remaining fixtures, they will collect enough points to stay in the third tier.
The next match is hugely significant, a trip to Blackpool on Good Friday that could reshape the relegation battle. A win would lift Exeter out of the bottom four and potentially move them above several teams around them. A defeat, however, would leave them five points behind Blackpool and in serious danger.
Can they stay up?
No, probably not. When a team loses form at this stage of the season, it is worrying, especially when those that have been in trouble begin to pick up a win or two, as Blackpool have.
Exeter’s season now comes down to six matches and a defining week that begins at Blackpool. Their fate remains in their own hands, but their margin for error has disappeared. If performances match the one against Leyton Orient, they may yet survive.
If not, their stay in League One could be coming to an end.