Steven Schumacher was in no doubt Wanderers would complete a successful fightback as his super-subs kept the Whites flying high.
Wanderers needed two goals in the last 20 minutes to secure a gripping 2-1 victory over Exeter City and make it seven home wins so far this season. But Schumacher had total faith in the resources at his disposal as substitutes Sam Dalby and Thierry Gale got the goals to extend Wanderers’ unbeaten home record on their own patch and keep them snapping at the heels of the top two in League One.
“I’m really pleased, a good win and six points from the week, which is what we wanted,” said the Whites’ head coach as his team backed up their mid-week success at Mansfield Town. “I thought we played really well, to be fair. Obviously the one mistake gives them something to hang on to, but we found a way, again. We played well, passed the ball really well, created loads of chances and got there when we needed to.
“It's not easy to break down 11 players behind the ball. The error from Teddy (Sharman-Lowe) is uncharacteristic. I've spoken loads of times about how good a sweeper-keeper he is and he just misjudged that one and headed it straight to their lad and that was their only shot I think for 80-odd minutes.
“But we stayed patient and we just said at half-time to adjust the positions of our full-backs a little bit if we could to free up the wingers to get 1v1s a little bit more often and I thought Thierry, when he came on in the second half, was outstanding.
“All the subs were to be fair. They all made a massive impact. When the players come on they've got to have that energy and that spark that we need. They've watched the game for 60 minutes or whatever it might be and see where the spaces are.
“Every one of them that came on was brilliant. I was really pleased for Sam Dalby to get his goal off Jordi's shot, who's been in good form lately, and Thierry, who I've already mentioned, was excellent.
“Kyle Dempsey was top-drawer when he came on. Xavier obviously got less time when we were winning and had to go in next to Josh but all of them were good. It's a squad game and that's what we need.”
Wanderers had been frustrated for much of the first half as they trailed to Jack Aitchison’s opportunistic strike but went through the gears in a superb second half.
Gale was the catalyst as he and Dalby both scored their second league goals for the club and when Dalby fired home after Jordi Osei-Tutu’s shot hit a post, it reinforced Schumacher’s view that there would be only one outcome.
"To be fair, I thought we were going to win the game anyway,” he added. “We deserved it and we got what we wanted. It’s not easy playing against a team with 11 men behind the ball, so credit to everyone in that situation
“Again, I thought we defended really well. They had no real intention to come out and attack but when they have a 1-0 headstart, because we give them a mistake, then they've got something to hold on to.
“But we defended really well and it's just another three points on the board and it keeps us going again. The lads are playing well at the top of the form table.
“Five wins and two draws out of the last seven games is good, so we keep going, keep believing in what we're doing, rest up and get ready to go again.”
Watch the full post-reaction from the boss on Wanderers TV