Striker looks back at win in Cheltenham
Exeter City forward Graham Cummins was visibly delighted with the way the Grecians’ afternoon went at Whaddon Road, as they secured an important 2-1 win.Shortly before his late substitution, Cummins fired in City’s second to add to Tom Nichols’ first and put Exeter in a commanding position. Arron Davies inadvertently turned in an own-goal late on but the visitors held on to win.
It was a first start in City colours for Cummins in over six weeks, and he admitted that his inclusion came as a bit of a surprise to him.
But his energetic and busy performance – capped with the match-sealing goal – meant for a happy conclusion for everyone of a Grecian persuasion.
“It was a great feeling to be back on the pitch – I felt a bit leggy at the end, but I was expecting that,” Graham reflected. “I didn’t think I’d even last that long!
“But I’m really happy with how things went today. It’s another win – and from being the team that didn’t look like we could do anything, now we have got to start looking back up again.
“I was bit surprised to be in the team when I found out yesterday. It was good to know at least a day beforehand – at least that way you can get your mind right. If I’d only found out today, I probably wouldn’t have been in the same mind frame.
“My aim today was to go out and enjoy it, because I hadn’t played much recently and I knew I might not play again for another couple of weeks. It might be the last game I play this season – you don’t know.
“So that was just my aim – go out and enjoy it and give everything for the team, and get the three points and go home happy.”
City’s lead had been of the smallest margin until Cummins pounced in the closing stages for his sixth goal of the campaign.
Few clear-cut chances had been fashioned throughout the match – so when Arron Davies wriggled his way into the area from a short corner and blasted goalwards, Graham was alive to the opportunity and reacted quickest when Trevor Carson spilled in the initial effort.
“My movement hadn’t been working for the last few corners – their man had been getting in front of me, so I thought I would try and stand in the goal and come out,” he continued.
“When Arron was shooting, I thought ‘he might spill this – let’s just hope he does’. Luckily he did.”
The result takes Exeter to within four points of the play-off positions again, and with some momentum building into the final six weeks of the campaign.
And while the Easter period and onwards gives the Grecians a tough run-in to the season, Cummins is keen that City can put themselves in an optimum position with another good result against Morecambe next Saturday.
“It was important to get the win here, and next week [against Morecambe] is important as well because in April we’re playing a lot of the sides in the top-seven,” Cummins said.
“They are going to be a tough run of fixtures, so we need to get the points to make them big games.
“We have done at the moment, and if we can win next week we might move a few more points closer again. That would make April a massive month and a great end to the season.”