It was quite simply a poor performance.

The 2-0 loss saw Stevenage fail to register a single shot on target but they also defended far less convincingly than recently, as Exeter took advantage.

It means marks will be low but how low? This is what I've gone with.

Player ratings

Exeter City (1) 2 Stevenage (0) 0

Murphy Cooper - 5

His performance kind of summed up Boro's as a whole - he was far less convincing than previously. A lot of the problems were in front of him and he was perhaps affected by that.

Luther Wildin - 6

Once or twice he allowed Exeter's wing-back in behind but did get forward better. One or two good tackles.

Carl Piergianni - 5

Starred last week and won his fair share of headers again here, but should have done far better with the attacking ones. When he was moved to the right side of the centre-back pairing, he looked unsure for once.

Nick Freeman - 4

Felt he had gone unseen last week but that must have meant he was alright. Here his anonymity was noticeable, very noticeable. A shadow of the man he was at the start of 2024.

Jordan Roberts - 5

He has games where his pressing doesn't go well early on and he ends up getting niggly and in foul trouble. Exactly what happened here and it meant his performance, and Stevenage's, never got going.

Charlie Goode - 5

Had chances from some of the set-piece deliveries but didn't make it count. Now looks set for a long spell on the sidelines, a huge blow for him and the club.

Lewis Freestone - 6

He was a rare bright spark. Did alright at left-back, did alright at centre-half. May well be getting a longer run in his preferred CB position now which will help his performances grow hopefully.

Elliott List - 4

From hero last week to barely involved this. Was on the fringes of the front three but was also on the fringes of the game. Has to be better.

Harvey White - 5

His deliveries from set-pieces were superb but in open play his much praised passing was surprisingly shoddy. Did put in some good tackles but not enough.

Jamie Reid - 5

Ran the channels but rarely found any joy. Hit one shot over the top but was not sharp at all, maybe understandably after his lay-off.

Eli King - 6

Did link up play well at times but it wasn't always positive. He is a very good player and if he can grow and learn in this loan spell, he will be a real asset for Stevenage. This was not his day though.

Subs - Dan Butler (5), Dan Phillips, Dan Kemp, Tyreece Simpson, Ken Aboh

Butler was needed earlier than the others but despite a promising and positive start to the second period, once the second goal went in he was all about the defence and that didn't always go well.

The others came on together on 66 minute but had no impact. Hugely disappointing.

READ MORE: Recap of the action - Exeter City 2 Stevenage 0

READ MORE: Lack of shots adds to disappointing defeat at Exeter - match report

READ MORE: Alex Revell on a performance that "wasn't us" 

Exeter stand-out players

There were some good players and performances, Ed Francis one of them, but many were allowed too much freedom and were allowed to be better than they should have been.

Overall

It was just an atrocious day, an atrocious performance and another disappointing Devon trip.

I had it down as a winnable game but that wasn't to be. Now there can't be any feelings of maudlin self-pity, there has to be a reaction on Tuesday at Wigan, another game that must be considered a winnable contest.

The defence will be changed, the system might be changed but this outing needs only to be remembered as an aid to memory, something that cannot happen again.