These are worrying times at Exeter City, as the Grecians slipped to within a point of the relegation places with a 3-0 defeat at fellow strugglers Fleetwood Town.

City are now without a league win since mid-September and they were never really in the hunt at Fleetwood, who raced into a 3-0 half-time lead with goals from Ryan Broom, Brendan Wiredu and Phoenix Patterson.

City boss Gary Caldwell told the club website: “Ultimately, I pick the team and I take responsibility for that.

"It isn't good enough. We gifted them the first goal and gave ourselves a mountain to climb. Now we have to work hard top change the momentum. There are things we have to change.

"In the early part of the season we looked a team hard to beat but that has now gone. There is not enough aggression at either end.

"The players have to show belief - it's one thing saying it, it's another showing it on the pitch - and we need actions."

While Caldwell is looking for a bounce back from his players after the international break, there has been more drama down the road at Torquay United, where the club has been involved in an unsavoury spat with their supporters’ trust (TUST).

The Gulls have struggled for consistency following their relegation to the National League South, although they do currently occupy a play-off spot, but the bigger issue for TUST has been a perceived lack of communication with the club hierarchy.

A recent TUST meeting was attended by Torbay MP Kevin Foster but, within minutes of the meeting’s conclusion, the club issued a stern statement condemning any ‘disruptive, anti-social or criminal behaviour such as pitch invasions and the throwing of missiles which puts the safety of players, staff and officials, and fellow supporters at risk’.

TUST chairman Nick Brodrick quickly denied any suggestion of any criminal activity or anti-social behaviour discussed at the meeting. Instead, the organisation had only voted in favour of a sit-in protest.

Torquay responded with an important win at Havant & Waterlooville on Saturday but there is clearly work to be done at the club to improve relations.