Midfielder looks back on a win against Accrington at the Crown Ground
Grecians midfielder Matt Grimes was understandably elated that Exeter City managed to earn an eighth win in the last dozen League 2 games with a 3-2 victory at Accrington Stanley.City led before half-time through Liam Sercombe, and doubled the lead after the break through Tom Nichols. John O’Sullivan grabbed one back for Stanley before Grimes netted a free-kick, and Seamus McCartan’s cool finish got the hosts back again to within a goal.
But Exeter put in a stern defensive display to keep the hosts at bay for the final 20 minutes of the game, securing a second 3-2 win in the space of a week after last Saturday’s home triumph against Shrewsbury Town.
It was that ability to batten down the hatches that put the icing on the cake for the 19-year-old.
“It’s another massive three points and we hope to keep winning and keep climbing the table. I think the sky is the limit at the moment,” said Grimes.
“I know that we can’t do it easily every week – I know everyone would like a 3-0 or 4-0 win, but that’s just not how football works.
“It shows great character from us to stick in it, and when they grab a goal back, to get another goal and then hang on in the end.
“When they get back a goal anything can happen. They’re always going to throw bodies forward and really get at us and I thought we dealt with it really well.”
Grimes’ goal – his third scored from a free-kick this season – proved to be all-important at the final whistle.
After Alex Nicholls drew a foul nearly 30 yards from goal, it was Grimes that stepped up with his wand of a left foot to get the ball over the wall and nestling into Jack Rose’s net.
“I do practice with Mel Gwinnett every week – if I strike them like that every time I’m happy,” he explained. “Obviously not every one will go quite as well as that one did, but I hope to keep practicing them.
“They say practice makes perfect and that’s what you’ve got to do if you’re going to nail down a skill.”
The win takes Exeter to within sniffing distance of the play-offs – only goal-difference separates Exeter from Bury and Plymouth Argyle ahead of the Saturday round of fixtures.
So Matt is hopeful that the Grecians can keep pushing onwards and building on a productive couple of months.
Matt continued: “We’ve got keep our heads down, keep winning games and keep playing our football. We know that if we do that it’ll take us higher and higher up the league.
“It’s all positive in the last couple of months. It’s really picked up on and off the pitch. We’ve got to keep our heads down and keep doing what we’ve been doing.”