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Paul Tisdale says 'healthy' Exeter can bounce back from play-off final defeat

Paul Tisdale, manager of Exeter City
Image: Exeter boss Paul Tisdale is taking positives from his side's 2-1 play-off final defeat to Blackpool

Paul Tisdale says the "continuity" at Exeter will help them bounce back from the disappointment of losing the Sky Bet League Two play-off final to Blackpool on Sunday.

David Wheeler had pulled Exeter level at Wembley after Brad Potts' early opener for the Tangerines, but Mark Cullen struck the winner to condemn the Grecians to a sixth-straight season in the fourth tier following the 2-1 defeat.

"I'm disappointed clearly," said City boss Tisdale. "It probably wasn't our best in the last half hour but it was a tough environment to play in with the pressure.

"They got their foothold in that first 10 minutes [of the second half] and it changed the course of the game. We possibly could have played better in the last 30 minutes to get back into it, but we just didn't know quite what to do.

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Highlights of the Sky Bet League Two play-off final between Blackpool and Exeter.

"I'm proud of the players for the season we've had and we regret today because of the result, but we should be very pleased with what we've done this year. We gave ourselves an opportunity, but unfortunately we didn't take it. Now we have to look again for next year."

Despite the defeat, Tisdale, who is the second-longest serving manager in England behind Arsene Wenger, insisted the club is in a good state to push on again next season.

"I've lost and won here so know both sides of the coin," he said. "When you lose, your mind goes onto next year and it hurts, but you don't have that release of emotion you get when you win.

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"After it settles in a couple of weeks we'll start again for next year. The squad won't change much and there's little I need to do, they're a good group with a lot of options and young developing players that we'll look to build on.

"The club is in the healthiest state that I've seen it in my 11 years. There is continuity and that will give us a good start to next year, but it doesn't guarantee results."

Blackpool's fans are embroiled in an ongoing protest against the club owners, meaning the Tangerines' support was limited at Wembley. But Tisdale was adamant that a reduced attendance didn't have any impact on the result.

"I don't think it affected anyone, them or us," he said. "We'd have liked there to have been more there for them, but I'm apathetic to it really as it's Blackpool's business and not mine.

"We were focused on the game."

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