Exeter City 'bullied' by Leyton Orient - Caldwell

Exeter City's players have not won a league game for more than a month

Exeter City manager Gary Caldwell says his side were "bullied" by Leyton Orient in their 6-2 loss at home in League One.

The Grecians were 3-0 down in the first 15 minutes and conceded a fourth before half-time.

Millenic Alli pulled two goals back after the break before Orient struck twice more as City suffered their biggest home loss of the season.

"We got bullied in the first 15 minutes and that's never a nice thing for any team," Caldwell told BBC Radio Devon.

"I have to do something about that, I have to affect the players in a different way to make them better on Saturday."

The loss was a seventh League One game without a win - a run that stretches back to 29 December and leaves City 17th in the table, eight points above the relegation places.

"We were poor right from the start. We gave the game away in the first 15 minutes.

"We were too loose in duals, not aggressive enough, not running enough, not defending the box well enough and we gave ourselves a mountain to climb. Every time they went forward they scored.

"I thought we had some good moments when we actually got forward, we looked like we were a threat but every time we lost it they were an even bigger threat."

Exeter have not been helped by central defensive injuries.

Their first-choice back three are all unavailable - Jack Fitzwater, Pierce Sweeney and Johnly Yfeko are all injured, while Tristan Crama's loan spell was cut short earlier this month.

Cheick Diabate - recently recalled from an unsuccessful loan at League Two Bradford City - was the only recognised central defender to start on Tuesday, with wing-back Jack McMillan and midfielder Ed Francis making up the back three.

"It's obviously a huge hindrance," added Caldwell.

"Our starting back three this season is not available for injury and obviously Tristan leaving, we're having to put makeshift players on the pitch.

"We're obviously desperate to try and bring defenders and I'm sure by next Monday we will.

"At this moment in time it's difficult but we can't affect the game, the game's gone.

"All we can focus on is reviewing that, looking at areas we have to improve and affecting the game on Saturday as best we can.

"We've got 18 big games left, there's still a lot of games to play where we have to be much better and win more of them."

Exeter are away to 15th-placed Stevenage on Saturday (1 February) at 12:30 GMT.