Doyle declares Exeter defeat a ‘knife through the heart’

The Hatters found themselves leading 2-0 at half time courtesy of goals from Luke Guttridge and Mark Cullen.

However, City hit back to pull level through Ryan Harley and Jordan Moore-Taylor, before David Wheeler’s gut-wrenching injury time winner made it seven straight losses for Luton.

Doyle said: “It’s a knife to the heart that. Especially when you come in at half time 2-0 up and did well first half, moving the ball about and then unfortunately, two free kicks we concede from.

“We knew Exeter would move the ball about, that’s the way they play. Scoring two goals at home you expect to win the game, but it’s just the way football is at the minute at Luton Town.

“I always go in at half time, say the game is still 0-0 and we’ve got to win the second half.

“Unfortunately that didn’t happen and we couldn’t build on our two goal lead. We’ve got to keep our heads up and keep fighting for the badge and the club and hopefully it will turn around.

“You try and get that third goal as once you get that you kill the game. We didn’t expect to concede three goals in 45 minutes, so it’s disheartening.”

Meanwhile, Exeter boss Paul Tisdale felt his side were always in with a chance despite being 2-0 heind at the break.

He added: “(At half time) There was a minute or two talk about details and then there was a synopsis of the situation.

“Two goals is a very difficult scoreline to defend at half time, as do you sit and stand back and defend or do you keep playing the way you were?

“We had to go for it, not that we were playing reserved in the first half as we were unlucky to come off 2-0 down at half time.

“But I said to the players, one goal against a team that’s 2-0 up can turn the game and maybe the second goal didn’t do them a favour.

“We believed we can win and I did say to them, you score one and you can score three, but you have to believe it first.

“Our first 10 minutes after half time was about us believing we could do it and just being free with the ball, not worried about the stakes.

“When you’ve got that mentality, you’ve got that chance.

“It’s not the sort of game you want to lose, it’s the sort of game when you win you remember for a long time.”

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