Winger delighted as City complete turnaround
After turning a losing position into a winning result at Sixfields, Grecians winger David Wheeler expressed his pleasure at getting a turnaround victory.
The Grecians had gone behind early to a Jacob Blyth strike, but Scot Bennett had drawn the teams level before half-time and John O’Flynn wrapped up the three points in the 92nd minute.
“When we went one-nil down so early on, and with their big centre-forwards proving quite effective, it was looking unlikely that we were going to go on and win the game,” Wheeler admitted.
“But in the second half, the boys picked the pace up a lot better and kept the ball on the floor a lot more. It is such a good feeling to come from behind to win.”
The midfielder was introduced with ten minutes remaining in the game, and he made a telling impact by grabbing a fine assist for the goal. Sam Parkin missed the chance to seal the victory moments earlier as Wheeler sent him through with a swirling ball over the top, but O’Flynn sealed the deal and triggered a mass exodus from the home supporters.
It was a perfect ball in from the right byline by Wheeler that gave the Irish striker the chance to apply a deft header that won the match, but Wheeler was quick to praise the contribution of his teammates in wearing down the defence. In particular he praised the 50-yard crossfield ball from Arron Davies which sent him racing clear as a telling factor.
“The game was one-all when I came on and I just tried to run as much as I could in the ten minutes I had,” he continued.
“It was good for me in the sense that Sam Parkin, Alan Gow and Arron Davies had been working really hard all game. The opponents looked a bit leggy and I was just trying to get in behind as much as I possibly could.
“Arron’s ball for me was brilliant. I think he had thought about playing it just before that – when he played it though it was absolutely perfect for me, and made it so easy to have a first touch and have time for a cross.
“I just thought about having a first good touch and relaxing on my cross, and it was great finish by Flynny. The one he scored against Wimbledon was another good finish – I’m grateful for him getting on the end of my crosses!”
City admittedly had to ride their luck in the first half to keep the deficit at just a single goal, and so David felt that it needed some big displays from the defence to give the Grecians a platform to build on.
“Scot Bennett was throwing himself in front of the ball numerous times and seemed to be getting in the way of everything.
“Some of the defensive displays in the first half were great, and that’s what set it up for us in the second half.”