Exeter boss Gary Caldwell rued his side’s failure to “kill the game off” after they suffered a 2-1 League One defeat to Northampton on Saturday.
The Grecians were ahead early at Sixfields courtesy of Tristan Crama’s header but they missed several chances to extend their lead and paid the price in the second half.
Callum Morton levelled before Cameron McGeehan converted Jon Guthrie’s cross to win it with 13 minutes to play.
“It’s a disappointing result but I thought the performance for large parts was very good,” said Caldwell.
“The way we started the game was outstanding and we scored with a set-piece that we’ve been working on but we should have scored more goals in that period.
“The game became a bit scrappy later in the first half but it was a similar story in the second half because we started really well and created loads of chances.
“We could have been further ahead at half-time and we definitely should have been further ahead after 60 minutes, but we couldn’t get that second goal which would have killed the game off.
“The 1-0 scoreline puts the team under pressure and we gave two bad goals away so there’s lessons to be learned but I can’t fault the players for their efforts and for large parts of the performance.
“The game should be finished before Northampton got back into it but we came here to win and ultimately we haven’t done that so we’ll look at those small details and be better next week.”
The win was Northampton’s first of the season and came thanks to goals from two summer signings.
“It was really important to get three points today,” admitted manager Jon Brady. “It was a hard-fought win and Exeter are an excellent side.
“They beat Rotherham last week and the way they try to play makes it difficult but I thought our press was really good because we blocked a lot of passing lines.
“Their goalkeeper is almost like a quarterback and the way we tried to press them – and the aggressive stance we took – meant we had to suffer and we were a bit exposed down the sides with the pace they have.
“But Aaron (McGowan) recovered well and we wanted to be aggressive because we were at home and we wanted to bounce back and I thought we showed how good we can be.
“We didn’t want to take a backward step and we made some adjustments at half-time and I was really pleased for Callum and Cam to score their goals.”
[(Shimizu S-Pulse) Weakness]: 1. Shimizu S-Pulse are 13th in the J1 League table. Facing 2nd-placed Kashima Antlers, they will find it hard to win this match due to their declining form, indicating doubtful motivation.2. Shimizu S-Pulse defender Yuji Takahashi and forward Sena Saito will miss this league game due to injuries.3. Shimizu S-Pulse were winless with 2 draws and 3 losses in the last 5 g...
Liverpool table fresh Guehi bidAccording to The Athletic, Liverpool have submitted a fresh bid worth £35 million ($47m) to sign Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace. The Reds had earlier seen two bids rejected by the Eagles, but they remain hopeful that this time the offer will be accepted.Fenerbahce eyeing move for EdersonTurkish Super Lig giants Fenerbahce are eyeing a move for out-of-favour Manc...
Roma medical for Liverpool fullback TsimikasAS Roma are holding a medical for Kostas Tsimikas today.The Liverpool fullback is leaving Anfield after finding himself third-choice this season behind fellow left-backs Andrew Robertson and Milos Kerkez.La Gazzetta dello Sport says the Greece international is expected in Italy today to finalise his move.Tsimikas will undergo a medical ahead of signing a...
FBL-ENG-PR-CHELSEA-FULHAMMarco Silva has demanded an explanation from the Premier League after lambasting three "shocking" refereeing decisions in Fulham's 2-0 Premier League loss at Chelsea.WHAT HAPPENED?The Whites thought they had taken the lead against their west London rivals Chelsea when 18-year-old Josh King coolly slotted past Robert Sanchez. However, the goal was chalked off by referee Rob...
[(Shonan Bellmare) Strength]: 1. Shonan Bellmare are one of the bottom teams in the table, taking 25 points and being in the relegation zone. They are strongly motivated to grab points.[(Shonan Bellmare) Neutral]: 1. Shonan Bellmare drew the last 4 home games, revealing mediocre home performances.[(Shonan Bellmare) Weakness]: 1. Shonan Bellmare lost 1-0 to Fagiano Okayama on the road in the last g...
Manchester United Training Session And Press Conference - UEFA Europa League Final 2025Chelsea have completed the signing of Alejandro Garnacho from Manchester United.WHAT HAPPENED?Garnacho has signed a seven-year contract with the Blues after the two Premier League clubs agreed a deal worth a fixed £40 million fee ($54m) with a 10 per cent sell-on clause, Goal understands. The 21-year-old ha...
Marc Guehi Crystal Palace 2025-26Liverpool have launched a fresh bid for Marc Guehi as they hope that Crystal Palace will finally accept their proposal and agree to sell their star defender before the summer transfer window closes on Monday. The Reds have been linked with a move for the England international throughout the summer and the champions are determined to secure his signature.WHAT HAPPEN...
West Ham United v Lille OSC - Pre-Season FriendlyAston Villa are close to signing West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paqueta on an initial loan with an obligation to buy next summer.WHAT HAPPENED?Villa are on the brink of agreeing a £47 million (€54m/$63m) package for Paqueta which includes a loan fee and add-ons, according to Fabrizio Romano. The report also states the 28-year-old has ac...
[(Nagoya Grampus) Strength]: 1. Nagoya Grampus currently have only 28 points and are near the bottom of the league table. To avoid relegation, they need to earn points.[(Nagoya Grampus) Neutral]: 1. Nagoya Grampus' 7 successive games ended with OVER.[(Nagoya Grampus) Weakness]: 1. Nagoya Grampus lost 2-4 to Sanfrecce Hiroshima in their last Emperor's Cup game, with poor performance.2. In the lates...
Cody Gakpo Liverpool 2025Premier League champions Liverpool have confirmed that star attacker Cody Gakpo has put pen to paper on a new long-term contract, which has extended his stay at Anfield beyond 2028. The Dutchman who joined the club in January 2023, during the Jurgen Klopp era, has established himself as a regular starter under new boss Arne Slot and has now committed his future to the Reds...
