Derby draw can give Exeter survival hope - Taylor
Matt Taylor has led Exeter to one victory since tasking temporary charge at St James Park
- Published
Exeter City interim manager Matt Taylor says his side's performance in their 2-2 Devon derby draw with Plymouth Argyle can give them hope for their relegation fight.
The Grecians remain in the relegation places after the draw, which saw City twice pegged back by their Devon rivals.
Exeter have three games left to play and are three points from safety as they aim for a fifth successive season in the third tier.
"The big message really is that if we perform like we did today for the remaining three games, we'll give ourselves a really good chance," Taylor told BBC Sport.
Exeter ended a 15-game winless run last week when they beat Doncaster Rovers 3-0 and the draw at Home Park was a fifth point from their past four games.
Taylor says he can see an improvement in the side - which he has been coaching since last month after Gary Caldwell left the club to take over at Wigan Athletic.
"In the last four games - you add the Leyton Orient game into that which I thought was a winning performance without the points - we have been going in the right direction," he added.
"The pressure will keep on coming, but there'll be no bigger pressure than today, no bigger expectation than today and the fact that the players approached it in the manner that they did, I'm immensely proud.
"I'm still disappointed we've not won the game, but I'm immensely proud of the club today
"We've been going in the right direction, our performances have been improving."
Jayden Wareham's late goal looked to have sealed victory for Exeter City
Taylor hopes the disappointment his side feels having twice given away a lead at their biggest rivals will not stay with his side.
Had they held on for victory it would have been the first time in a decade that Exeter had completed a league double over Plymouth - having beaten them 2-0 at St James Park in October.
"We feel a little bit disappointed right now because we've gone ahead twice and certainly so late on in the game," he continued.
"So our insides are tinged with disappointment, but that disappointment can't linger for too long, and the big message to supporters, the press, the players, is that if we perform like that, then we will win more games than lose, and it starts next weekend against Stockport.
"We'll only know if we can back it up with a big win next weekend, but in terms of what those players did for me and for the supporters today I don't think anyone can question how much they wanted it. "
