On-loan Reading midfielder Jake Taylor scored his first ever league goal at the weekend and has been lauded for his fine displays for Exeter City.
The 19-year-old Welshman, who joined the Grecians on-loan in September, helped them to a 3-1 home win over Rochdale on Saturday.
During the game he won a penalty for City’s second goal before creating the third for himself after chasing down an opposition defender before slamming home from a tight angle.
“It felt really good, it’s my first league goal so it’s a milestone for me and to score was special,” said Jake.
“It’s a great feeling to score a goal and win a game, it hasn’t happened to me in men’s football before so hopefully it will happen a lot more.”
Taylor also paid tribute to Eamonn Dolan, the former Exeter manager and current head of the Royals Academy – someone who has clearly mentored the forward throughout his short career.
“I’m very close to Eamonn, we talk a lot and he always looks out for me so it’s nice to have someone like that who will help you push on. He helps me with different things about my game and tells me what I can do better.”
“He text me this week saying ‘have you been working on your left foot?’, so just little things that help you and can only be a good thing in the long run!”
Experienced Grecians striker Daniel Nardiello has been impressed by his new team-mate.
“Jake won us the penalty, got us a breakaway third goal and he’s been doing that for every game,” he said.
“He’s been brilliant for us up there, always running in behind and working hard. He thoroughly deserved that goal and now he’s got his one hopefully he’ll get a few more now.”
“Brian Howard at Reading is a mate of mine; I spoke to him about Jake and he said he’s a quality young player, I think he’s got a very bright future – he’s coming to a League One club and performing week in, week out. If he’s in a team at the top of the league you never know what he could do. He’s got a great future ahead of him.”
