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Exeter boss Paul Tisdale hoping to avoid play-off final heartache again

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Speaking after Exeter’s 3-1 victory over Lincoln, Paul Tisdale admits he is unsure whether the League Two playoff final will be his last match as Exeter manager.

Exeter boss Paul Tisdale is fully focused on avoiding a repeat of last season's Sky Bet League Two play-off heartache.

The Grecians made it to Wembley in 2016/17 but were beaten by Blackpool, but they have another opportunity of promotion this year after seeing off Lincoln 3-1 on aggregate in the semi-final.

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"I'm enjoying it but there's still one more game to go, that's what it's all about now," Tisdale told Sky Sports. "We were here last year with lots of celebrations then you get the pain of losing [in the final].

"We certainly felt that pain last year and our joy and excitement is tempered a little because of that. It's like Snakes and Ladders when you get to 99 and then crash to zero, we don't want that again. The team we play will want to win as well, but we'll give it our best."

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Highlights of the Sky Bet League Two playoff semi-final second leg between Exeter and Lincoln

Jayden Stockley put Exeter in control with his first-half goal in the second leg of the tie at St James Park on Thursday night, and two superb goals from Hiram Boateng and Ryan Harley after the break put the game beyond Lincoln.

"They were two wonderful goals," added Tisdale. "We got to half-time one up and it was all about those next 10 to 15 minutes. We wanted to go at them, because we knew they'd come at us, and we wanted to get the first strike in."

Tisdale is now the longest-serving manager in the country but his future beyond the play-off final is up in the air, and he admitted he does not know whether he will be at the club next season.

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"Who knows? There are a lot of managers, coaches and players who don't know their future when they get to the end of the season," he said.

"I've got one more game to go and I'm fully focused on that as Exeter City manager. It could well be my last game, but maybe not. All I know is I've got one more game this season and I'm going to try and win it."

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