EXETER CITY manager Paul Tisdale felt his players failed to carry out his instructions as their run of League Two home wins came to an abrupt end against Newport County.
Despite a promising start, City fell behind to Conor Washington's 23rd-minute strike and Harry Worley put the seal on an impressive 2-0 win for the Welsh side with the second 20 minutes from time.
"I haven't watched it back, but I don't think the players did what was asked of them," Tisdale said on Saturday. "I think they need to be better.
"I'm not talking about how hard they worked or how they passed it, because a lot of players showed they were good players today. But it's about the team being effective and doing what I ask them to do and, if that doesn't work, then I will change it.
"The players didn't do exactly what I asked of them today, so therefore I cannot assess it in my way. We will go back to the training ground and they will have to listen.
"You have to play well and, if you don't play well, you have to make sure you don't concede," the City boss added.
Despite the defeat, there were plenty of positives for City to take from the loss. None more so than the start Exeter made which, on another day, could easily have led to a goal or two.
"It was exactly what we wanted, but goals change games," Tisdale added. "We should have had a penalty and I don't often say that, but the view of the officials was that John O'Flynn was not strong enough. I don't know when it's the view of the officials to decide when a player is strong enough or good enough.
"The fact of the matter is that their player had both hands around John O'Flynn's neck inside the box.
"It happened very early in the game and I thought it was a penalty, but there we are.
"We started the game really well, but we didn't hit the target enough.
"I don't care how we do it or how we create it, when you are winning or losing, if it's sunshine or raining, or windy, you have to hit the target to score. We didn't hit the target enough and give ourselves a chance of scoring. We could have scored, but we didn't. And then we didn't defend our six-yard box well enough."
City were somewhat unfortunate to be behind at the break, but, as Tisdale said, if you don't hit the target, you don't score goals. Alan Gow missed Exeter's best chance when he headed wide of an open goal from inside the six-yard box after David Wheeler's shot had been saved by Lenny Pidgeley. In the second half, though, the chances for the Grecians dried up.
"We didn't play badly at all today and most of the players looked like they were on their game. But it is not about that," Tisdale said. "It is about whether they do the collective thing to get what I need.
"They have to listen to me. I think they got drawn into playing a game that they enjoyed playing in, but it's about us having the effective, necessary variables in place.
"The way we played in both goal areas is what disappointed me most. My requirements as a manager is to get people in the right place at the right time thinking the right thing."
Tisdale added: "The team were certainly playing well, but based on what we practised and whether they were in the right place at the right time thinking the right thing, that is what I will be dissecting.
"It's about having that common purpose and everyone thinking the same thing at the same time.
"Our football at times was very good, but it wasn't what I wanted. I need to look at the DVD."
