Exeter City 'sleepwalking towards relegation'
Matt Taylor has lost his last five games in interim charge at Exeter City [Shutterstock] Exeter City are "sleepwalking towards relegation" after a fifth successive defeat, says manager Matt Taylor. The Grecians have lost six of their last seven games and have not won since 24 January - a run of 13 winless games. The 2-0 loss at Wigan Athletic left Exeter one place above the relegation places on goal difference ahead of three key games against fellow bottom-eight sides Leyton Orient, Blackpool and Doncaster Rovers.
Taylor substituted Ukrainian winger Tymur Tutierov after just 15 minutes, replacing the young Sunderland loanee with veteran striker Josh Magennis having conceded 10 minutes earlier. "I can't keep waiting for this team to find life in itself when the game pushes us behind," Taylor told BBC Radio Devon. "People will say it's a quite a drastic reaction, that's what we need.
"We are sleepwalking towards relegation and anything that we are as a team, Josh gives us a huge amount. I actually thought he was our best player when he came on. "People will say 'oh, he's saying that because he made the change'.
He influenced the game - not enough of us influenced the game - and whether that's with his physicality or personality I honestly don't care, Josh gave us something. "I had to choose who to take off and it's very unfortunate for Timur. 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, we can't afford to be drifting or slowly going towards the trap-door. " 'Clear and obvious weakness' Exeter were again undone at a set-piece for Wigan's second goal as Fraser Murray scored direct from a corner with five minutes to go. The win for Wigan - under the control of former Exeter boss Gary Cahill - saw the Latics leapfrog Exeter in the table.