Defender gives verdict on 3-2 win in Luton
Grecians right-back Arron Davies was delighted that the Grecians were able to get their just rewards with a 3-2 win at Luton Town.Despite having more than their share of the game in the first period, James Hamon twice had to pick the ball out of the net as Luke Guttridge’s deflected strike opened the scores before Mark Cullen rounded off a quick move on the stroke of half-time.
The Grecians continued to play in the same positive manner into the second half and Ryan Harley and Jordan Moore-Taylor each scored to take the scores level, before David Wheeler pounced in stoppage-time to win it for City.
It was the second time that Exeter have been trailing 2-0 at the break and gone on to win 3-2, after beating Shrewsbury in the same manner at St James Park earlier in the year.
“The lads are ecstatic,” Arron explained. “We didn’t make it easy but the way we won was unbelievable. And to do it in front of the travelling fans was nice – the lads were over the moon.
“We said at half-time that we still believed we could do it – we’ve done it before this season, coming from two goals down. But it was a massive win.
“Winning it in the last minute makes it all the sweeter – and obviously it was in front of the fans like it was at Dagenham.
“I thought with the way we performed today, we deserved the win. We didn’t do it the easy way – we should have had a few more goals because the way we played was outstanding from start to finish.”
He also felt that the Grecians were confident in themselves, even when the scoreline was looking bleak.
“We went in two-nil down, but Tis said we were playing really well and we should believe in ourselves and that if we got an early goal we could win it,” he continued.
“That’s the way you’ve got to be. In this league games can turn really quick and Ryan got a brilliant finish. We knew they were on a bit of a dip in form and with the run they’ve had, it might be a bit of a mentality thing.
“We were right on the front-foot and we took the game to them, and towards the end they would admit that we were worthy winners.”
Davies – who himself grabbed a last-gasp winner in a 2-1 triumph at Dagenham earlier this campaign – could have been the man to have won it once again at Kenilworth Road.
Lee Holmes’ inswinger from the right was nodded on by Christian Ribeiro, and as Davies stooped to direct in the assistant raised his flag quickly to cut short the celebrations.
But moments later Holmes went down the outside to the byline and Ribeiro again got a head on the ball, forcing Elliot Justham to touch onto the post, but Wheeler ensured all three points would be coming back to Devon.
“I think I was onside from the initial ball in, but someone got a touch,” said Davies of his disallowed goal.
“I might have been offside; I’m not sure and I was that close to goal, and I was just thinking about getting a good contact on the ball so I don’t really know.
“I looked across and saw his flag up and I was devastated. But to get the winner at the end through Dave was massive.”
The result is likely to mean for a bumper gate when the Grecians take on Newport on Easter Monday in a 1pm kick-off at St James Park, so Arron is looking forward to getting going again very soon.
“With the fans seeing today’s result, and that we were two-nil down and looking dead and buried before coming back and winning three-two, they’ll be buzzing,” he said.
“They’ll buy right into it and Monday will be a good atmosphere. Newport will bring a few down as well so it makes for a good game, but we’ve got to rest up and do things right and be ready to go for Monday.”