Exeter City manager, Paul Tisdale, praised his side for their robust performance in a 1-0 win over Lincoln City at St James Park.
Reuben Reid’s first half strike was the difference between the two sides after Danny Cowley’s Lincoln provided a difficult test for the Grecians.
Following the result, Tis said: “I’m really pleased because it was a very tough game and we’ve come through with a win.
“I’m not too proud to request, now and then, that the team battles and scraps to get a clean sheet and win 1-0.
“We weren’t at our best by a long way, in terms of selections, in terms of the rhythm of the game but well done to the players for the result.”
The City boss was delighted with the win considering the number of players who are out of contention due to injury.
He continued: “They caught us on a good day, Jordan Moore-Taylor dropped out after the Swindon game, David Wheeler has dropped out and Ryan Harley is still struggling, and we seem a very different side to what we were at the end of May.
“They won’t be out too long, but you hope as a manager that when you get those days, where you’re a bit low on players that the other players come in who are desperate to play.”
Tis also conceded that the disruption in selection limited City’s rhythm to the game and stated that the Grecians were far from their best at St James Park.
“We didn’t have a great rhythm about us.” Tis said: “There were too many changes for that. We played a very pragmatic game. They were a good side, I think they probably deserved a draw based on the ebb and flow of the game but it’s about scoring a goal.”
With the likes of Troy Archibald-Henville and Luke Croll coming into the defence, Tisdale also praised his players for their performances.
“We were defensively very solid, combative and robust. We weren’t trying to be too clever.
“Archibald-Henville was selected for a certain role in the side, to bring physicality. Without David Wheeler and Jordan Moore-Taylor we just felt that the balance could be tipped too far away from the strength that we found over the past couple of weeks.
“Troy was a good selection because he brought some physicality to the side, he played in front of the back four and did the job he was asked to do.”