Ryan Bowman: Exeter manager Matt Taylor says he was right to back striker

Ryan Bowman is ranked fourth in League Two's leading scorers

Exeter City manager Matt Taylor says he was right to back striker Ryan Bowman after he scored his second hat-trick in less than three weeks.

Bowman, 29, has scored eight goals in his last seven appearances, having scored just once in his first 13 games.

"We stuck by him when he was struggling for a goals as we know what he can bring to the team," Taylor said.

"That's a good goal return already, and hopefully he can keep improving on it," the Exeter boss told BBC Radio Devon.

Saturday's 5-0 victory over Tranmere Rovers was Exeter's first League Two game in front of supporters since limited crowds were allowed back following the latest Covid-19 lockdown.

The Grecians have scored 21 goals in their last five matches including a 6-1 win over Colchester in which Bowman got his first-ever senior hat-trick.

"Ryan will get the headlines for another hat-trick, I think that might take him up to nine so far this season and all of a sudden he's not on a bad return," added Taylor.

"If he gets to double figures before Christmas then he's got a real free hit at the rest of the season."

Bowman, who has now scored 29 goals in 85 appearances since moving to Exeter from Motherwell in January 2019, was quick to praise his team-mates after taking home another match ball.

"We were outstanding, every single man, even the ones that came on from the bench, we were really good, really strong," he said.

"Our start of the game was fantastic, we blew them away, I don't think they fancied it after the first half an hour when they saw our start.

"From a personal point of view I got another hat-trick. I've never scored one in my life before and two in two weeks, that's football for you."