Exeter boss Paul Tisdale hailed the performance of central midfield pairing Matt Oakley and Matt Grimes after his side’s 2-0 win over AFC Wimbledon.
The duo who are at the opposite ends of their careers combined to great effect as the Grecians continued their impressive start to the season.
“Matt Grimes played like someone who’s played for years,” said Tisdale of the 18-year-old debutant who wasn’t born when Oakley made his debut as a 17-year-old for Southampton in 1995.
“He had a proper player in Matt Oakley alongside him and it was an exceptional performance from both of them,” he told BBC Radio Devon.
In the twilight of his career, Oakley now 36, showed why he was a fixture in the top flight for so many years with a classy showing that rubbed off on Grimes.
“Matt Oakley was unbelievable in his first 90 minutes for six months,” said Tisdale.
“They played really well together and they really made it happen. It enabled us to keep our wide players wider and the strikers could stay closer together.”
“They were a revelation playing together for the first time.”
“It’s great to have another player through the youth set-up and who’s good enough for the first team,” added Tisdale.
