These are the type of games that you win promotion with.
On the face of it this was a 2-1 win and lets be blunt anything less than three points would have put Saints under a lot of pressure at the weekend, however it was a hard fought win that had many different elements to it.
To cover the game first, Saints looked comfortable early on in the game and really should have taken the lead when firstly N'Guessan hit the bar when it looked easier to score and then from the rebound, Lee Barnard again hit the bar from close range with basically an open goal gaping, add to that a Rickie Lambert free kick that had it been at the other end would have landed in somebody's second floor living room.
Exeter had for most of the half, passed the ball well but ddnt make much headway apart from one effort that Davis got down smartly to block, so when they took the lead seven minutes before the break it was if not completely against the run of play, certainly a little unexpected, a hopeful lob forward caught us flatfooted, Davis came way out of his box and seemed to miss an easy header leaving their man to put the ball into the empty net.
After the break the game opened up and to be blunt it was Exeter who were running it, they passed the ball better than us and carved us open not just opn the flanks but in the middle as well, Davis redeemed himself with two decent saves to keep the score level, although you always felt that the next goal would be decisive, whoever got it.
Saints hung on in there though and got an equaliser on 70 minutes when a great cross from N'Guessan saw Lambert head home, that saw the steam knocked out of Exeter and Saints seemed to step up a gear from that point, strangely N'Guessan who had looked to get stronger as the game went on and had started to get in some telling balls was substituted almost immediately after the goal.
Saints now looked the more likely to score although Exeter were dangerous on the break and flashed several dangerous crosses into the box.
But it was Saints who would score a goal that might in May, be seen as a pivotal moment in the season, when Lambert again headed home from close range, that just left Saints to hold out for four minutes and then it was job done.
Not a pretty win by any means and plenty of questions to be asked, but it was a win all the same and vital.
But it could be said that the failure to take a grip on the game was of Saints own making, a series of errors and strange tactics and substitutins beggared a few questions.
!. The starting line up was a little puzzling at the back, a few weeks ago Nigel Adkins appeared to have settled on a back four that looked strong, yet despite all defenders being available he opted for what had been a weak link a few weeks back, although Harding and Butterfield let no one down, they are not as good as Dickson and Richardson, who seem to have both been dropped for one bad game each or in Dicksons case one bad pass.
Likewise the selection of Jaidi, he is usually there to combat aerial threat, yet Exeter are known for passing the ball and having small nippy fowards, it didnt seem Jaidi's sort of game.
2. Individual error, yes Kelvin did pull off a couple of saves, but he again made an individual error that could have cost us dearly, this was his fourth game in eleven that this has happened, as mentioned earlier certain players seem to be dropped for one bad ball, yet others seem to be continually picked and reinstated despite continual gaffs, this isnt a witch hunt, this is fact, we were saved by a last gasp gaol, but put on the back foot by a goalkeeping error as at Tranmere, ironically the performance at Tranmere was probably better.
3. Substitutions, N'Guessan seemed to grow into the game, he had a willingness to run at players and seemed to be getting in dangerous crosses, on the other wing Chamberlain was largely inneffective, yet only two minutes after putting in a pin point cross for the first goal, N'Guessan was removed, maybe he was tired but he didnt look it.
Even more surprising was the player replacing him, Dickson would have been an obvious choice being quick and left footed, however it was Hammond on and a reshuffle moving Scheiderlin out left, it was our width on the left causing them problems yet we stopped it dead.with the substitution.