Grecians' can learn plenty from their opening day defeat

EXETER City coach Dan Green is in no doubt that the Grecians' humbling defeat on the opening day of the season will stand them in good stead for the remainder of their League One campaign.

- STUART JAMES [e-mail]

After a promising preseason, which saw Exeter beat Swansea City and remain undefeated, they fell to a 1-0 defeat at Doncaster Rovers on Saturday with the only goal a controversial penalty awarded two minutes from time.

However, while the spot kick should not have been given, it did not mask a poor performance from the Grecians, who created some openings, but rarely looked like scoring - they did not register a shot on target - against the reigning League Two champions.

City have this week to put things right on the training pitch before Blackpool arrive for the first home game of the season on Saturday.

"We learnt a lot from Saturday," Green said. "You could tell it was the first game of the season with players trying to find their rhythm and some players experiencing the intensity and speed of the level for the first time and we can take a lot from it.