Yahoo Sports Caldwell takes responsibility for Blackpool loss
Exeter City manager Gary Caldwell says he is responsible for his side's 3-1 loss to Blackpool.
The Grecians were 3-0 down at half-time before Millenic Alli pulled a goal back with eight minutes to go.
Exeter felt they should have had a penalty soon after when new loan signing Tony Yogane went down under a challenge with Odeluga Offiah, but play was waved on.
The loss extended Exeter's winless streak in League One to six games as they dropped to 17th in the table.
"It wasn't the referee's actions that put us 3-0 down, so we have to accept responsibility - me in particular. I pick the team, I'm the manager, so I take the ultimate responsibility for that," Caldwell told BBC Radio Devon.
"The players, I thought, started the game well. We created good opportunities, but then had a bad 10-minute spell where we conceded three really bad goals - the second and third in particular almost killed the game off.
"But second half I thought we were excellent against a team that's sat in.
"I know they gave us possession, but our possession was incisive, it was more of a threat. Once we got right up on the game we penned them in for large periods, and if we get the penalty I think we get something from the game."
But Caldwell was left unhappy by the decision not to give City a penalty - the latest in a series of decisions which he feels has gone against his side in recent weeks.
"That's a huge moment in the game - it's not a minor incident," he said.
"It's not because we're just Exeter we have to leave it and we'll just concentrate on bigger clubs and bigger teams.
"That has to be looked at. I'm sure we'll get an apology, but we just need the standard to be better, because it's too big a moment - I'm not just blaming the ref here - for four people to get it wrong.
"It's not the ref, it's four people who can make the right decision in that moment."
More defensive injury problems
Exeter's day was made worse with Jack Fitzwater limping off the field shortly before half-time.
He is the latest centre-back Exeter have lost with Johnly Yfeko and Pierce Sweeney injured and Tristan Crama being recalled by Brentford from his loan spell.
It leaves Cheick Diabate - who was recalled from his loan at Bradford City - as the only fit specialist central defender in the first-team squad.
"It's obviously an area of the pitch where we are seriously depleted with injuries in particular at this moment, and obviously we need to get one or two in to help us," Caldwell added.
"That hasn't materialised yet.
"We've come close to a few who we feel were real high-quality targets that would have really made the team a lot better, and we have to keep searching the market for that type of player to come in and help us."
