Gary Caldwell says there is lots to be positive about despite his Exeter City side’s 2-1 loss at Leyton Orient.
The Grecians led 1-0 until the final part of the game when a defensive error let in Idris El Mizouni to equalise before Tyreeq Bakinson got the winner with Exeter defender Jack Fitzwater off the field after receiving treatment.
The defeat ended a five-game unbeaten run in all competitions and was just Exeter’s second League One loss since the end of September.
“We did so many things right in that game, we had the game in the palm of our hand and I think we gave it away rather than Orient won it,” Caldwell told BBC Radio Devon.
“They brought a lot of quality off the bench, they went really attacking and I still felt we were comfortable.
“It was a mistake, and then having to deal with a long ball after our centre-half gets elbowed in the face is a crazy rule, it should be a foul.
“So the two goals were hugely disappointing, but once we get over the emotion and the feeling, we’ll look at 74 minutes of really good play and really positive signs from the team that we have to build into next week.”
He added: “Our goals [conceded] were mistakes where we’ve played in areas that we knew we couldn’t play [in] because they’re dangerous when you do that.
“The second goal is a foul – Fitzy shouldn’t be off the pitch because it should be a foul and we should be able to clear it up the pitch.
“Two big moments that were really disappointing – one our own doing, the second one for me it’s a foul – and we have to learn from that.”
