Man of the Match - Exeter (FA Cup 3rd rnd)

[frastheowl]

 

Wildsmith - 7 - Couple of regulation saves early on, and dealt with some tricky crosses. Comfortable day between the sticks.

 

Odubajo - 7 - Another solid performance. Couple of key blocks, offered width throughout.

 

Brennan - 7 - Nervy start, to be expected, which could've been punished on another day. But settled down, and look very assured in the 2nd half.

 

Shaw - 9 - Man of the Match - Think the added responsibility of having to lead the backline really brought the best out of him. Grew in confidence, and superb play for the 2nd goal. Wasn't his only venture out of defence either.

 

Galvin - 8 - I was very impressed, and he would've got MotM had Shaw didn't have a worldie alongside him. Defended the cross very well...as good as anybody we've had at full back for many a year. 

 

Pelupessy - 7 - Started the game appallingly, sloppy in possession and heaped pressure on the young defence. Smartened himself up, and got better as the game went on.

 

Bannan - 7 - Another player who started way off the mark. Was careless with the ball, and looked way off the pace. But, the catalyst for improvement, was the brilliant assist for Reach's goal, and seemed to settle down and dictate things after that.

 

Hunt - 6 - Struggled to get in the game, was a bit too safe in possession. Fear that his development is becoming stagnant at the minute. Missed a good chance also.

 

Reach - 7 - Pick of the players in the first half. Scored a really good goal, and looked sharp and seemed to relish the extra responsibility.

 

Harris - 6 - It's like watching a repeat...game after game. Sees a lot of the ball, never hides, offers a threat...then is utterly dreadful whenever it comes to the crunch.

 

Paterson - 6 - Looks cumbersome, slow and off the pace. Never seemed to be in the right place in the 1st half. He got a goal, but he just doesn't offer anywhere near enough.

 

Overall..

 

In the end, I thought we looked comfortable and in control. Our better players eventually stepped up to the mark, but the performances of the young backline was the huge positive from yesterday.

 

Shaw played like he'd got 300 appearances under his belt, and Galvin and Brennan responded in turn.

 

Of course, the opponents were pretty poor, but in terms of football, it was as good as we've played for many weeks. At times we actually looked like a team that possessed the basic technical abilities to control, pass and move...something we've looked utterly inept at over the past month or two.

[waverley_owl]

I would have said Galvin for MotM until the last 10 mins when Shaw did that pirouette and then provided that excellent assist. Shaw for me.