We are intent on beating our points tally from last season - and we can do it

PIERCE SWEENEY IS THE CLUB CAPTAIN OF EXETER CITY FC

Our win at Cheltenham Town on Easter Monday means we’re all but certain to be playing League One football again next season. With five games left to play, we’re now 12 points clear of Port Vale, who occupy the final relegation spot and, with a host of teams between us and the Valiants, it would require a shift of seismic proportions for us to be relegated.

I understand why people were concerned when we went 16 games without a win before Christmas, but I never doubted we would turn things around and am delighted to have been proven right. At the same time, we won’t be resting on our laurels – we’re now just five points shy of the 56 we bagged last season and intent on going on to better that total. And given that we’ve taken 10 points from our last four games, I think there’s every chance we can do it.

While our 2-1 win over Cheltenham came courtesy of a last-minute penalty, I thought we were good value for all three points. We should probably have been a goal or two to the good before half-time and it was against the run of play that the home side took the lead shortly after the restart.

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Certainly, Luke Harris’ 56th-minute equaliser was no more than our efforts deserved. I guess a draw wouldn’t have been the worst result in the world and that’s how it looked like it would finish until a handball in the area presented Reece Cole with the opportunity to send the 1,500-odd away fans who’d made the relatively short journey up the M5 into raptures. I guess you’d be disappointed if that penalty was awarded against you, but Reece wasn’t in the mood to show any mercy and calmly dispatched it into the corner.

As ever, the away support was brilliant and we were thrilled that we were able to send the travelling Grecians back to Exeter with smiles on their faces – all the more so given they stuck with us in their numbers when the going got tough and it would have been all too easy to turn on the team and the manager.

There were plenty of good performances from City players and, with that in mind, I’m loath to single out individuals; however, Alex Hartridge, who hadn’t played since losing his place back in January, showed all his undoubted quality on his return to the starting XI, while Luke’s goal was richly deserved after another all-action performance from the Fulham youngster.

The win at Whaddon Road saw us take four points from our two Easter fixtures, having drawn 1-1 at home to Charlton on Good Friday, when we started fantastically well and Ben Purrington headed us ahead after just six minutes. Having led for more than 80 minutes of that game, before the unfortunate Cheick Diabate inadvertently headed into his own net with just a couple of minutes to go, we were disappointed not to beat the Addicks.

Then again, they went into Friday’s game unbeaten in eight games since Nathan Jones took over as manager in mid-February and, what’s more, the usually reliable Alfie May might have nicked all three points when he hit the post with the goal gaping in injury time, so we couldn’t be too downhearted. That aside, it was great to see Ben open his account for us with a goal against his former club; all the more so as Ben’s goal was the first we have scored in the opening 15 minutes of a league game at SJP since October 2021!

As I wrote in my last column, I was rooting for Vil Sinisalo and Ilmari Niskanen’s Finland side in their Euro 2024 play-off semi-final against Wales but unfortunately it wasn’t to be. Wales raced into a 2-0 lead inside the opening 40 minutes and while the Finns halved the deficit on the stroke off half-time, the home side restored their two-goal advantage within a minute or two of the restart and added a fourth goal inside the final 10 minutes.

While I was gutted for Vil and Ilmari, the one consolation was that it was Ethan Ampadu’s Welsh side who made it through to last Thursday’s play-off final, in which they faced Poland for a place in Germany this summer. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be for Ethan either, with the Welsh losing on penalties after the game had finished 0-0 after extra time.

It’s a shame we won’t see Amps in action this summer, although I dare say he could use the rest having played every minute of every game for both Leeds and Wales this season. Let’s hope that he can lead the Elland Road side, who currently sit second in the Championship, to promotion and we can look forward to seeing yet another graduate of our academy in the Premier League next season.

Talking of which, it was disappointing to see Oli Watkins come off at half-time in Aston Villa’s 2-0 won over Wolves on Good Friday with a hamstring niggle. Touch wood it’s nothing serious and the former Grecian can add to his 23 goals this season. Unfortunately, England weren’t at their best in their recent friendly with Brazil and, aside from one good chance which was deflected over the bar, Oli didn’t get much opportunity to shine.

Conversely, Brentford forward Ivan Toney will have advanced his claims for a place in Gareth Southgate’s Euro squad this summer with his performance in the 2-2 draw with Belgium. Toney scored from the penalty spot to make it 1-1, however, Oli reminded the England coach what he’s capable off when he came off the bench to play a key part in England’s second goal.

We’re back in action at SJP this Saturday when Stevenage are the visitors. Steve Evans’ side have had a fantastic season but have slipped just outside the play-off places after a run of seven games without a win. Plainly, Boro will be desperate to get back to winning ways ASAP but if we perform as we have done over the last month they might have to wait a little longer yet.

And on Tuesday evening we face Leyton Orient at Brisbane Road. Like Stevenage, the O’s have had a good season on their return to League One and currently occupy 10th place in the table. However, we’ll be looking to expose the frailties which have seen them lose eight of the 20 home league games they have played thus far and taking a step closer to surpassing last season’s 56 points.

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