Gary Caldwell: Exeter City boss hails 'massive shift in performance levels'

Exeter City celebrated their win over fourth-placed Peterborough in front of their fans

Exeter City boss Gary Caldwell says he has seen a big change in the way his side have been playing in the last month and they "are in a good place".

The Grecians have won three of their last four matches including wins over high-flying Barnsley and Peterborough.

Tuesday's 2-1 win over Posh was the first time Exeter had won a game having been a goal down since last March.

"We've showed a massive shift in performance levels and points," Caldwell told BBC Radio Devon.

Having been on a run of a 13 games without a victory that saw them drop from the top of League One into the relegation places, Exeter have turned their form around.

Since Boxing Day they have won five and drawn two more of their 10 League One matches to rise back up to 14th in the table.

"I think it shows the competition we have in the squad now after January, the players we've brought in, everyone is fighting just to even get in the starting squad, which is brilliant," added Caldwell, whose side was dogged by injuries in the opening months of the season.

"There's a really healthy competition daily at the training ground, so we're in a good place.

"But I think we can be a better team, and that's where we always have to go back to process, and whilst winning games is the most important thing, the process and how we do that and how we build for the future is also really important.

"We always have to stick to that process whether we win, lose or draw."

Gary Caldwell has seen his side's fortunes turn around over the past six weeks

Caldwell saw some sections of the Exeter fanbase call for his dismissal during the depths of their poor run, which saw them lose 10 of 13 league games as well as a 9-0 home thrashing by Reading in the EFL Trophy in mid-September.

But he says people have to realise that just because injured players have returned to the side does not mean that fortunes will instantly be overturned.

"I just think in football all these things take longer than you think," the 41-year-old Scot added.

"When you get a player back from injury it doesn't just click on that Saturday, that player then has to build up his minutes, that player has to build his confidence in his body and how he's playing.

"I just think in football everything takes that little bit longer than I want and the supporters want and the club wants.

"We've had two periods this season where we've played really good football - the start of the season and now.

"We've had in the middle of that a really difficult period where the squad was stretched to the limit.

"But I think in the longer term that'll be good for all of us to understand that in difficult moments you have to stick together, you have to keep believing in the process of what you're doing, and if you do that you can come out of the other side a better team, better people and better for the long run."