IT is a sign of how severe Exeter City's goal-drought has become that director of football Steve Perryman decided to air his views on the matter following the 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth on Tuesday.

A debut goal for £800,000-man Matt Tubbs – who also made the assist for super-sub Scott Malone's strike – did for the Grecians, who put in a dogged and determined display in both defence and midfield, only to falter in the final third.

But their woes in front of goal continued, and Perryman echoed the sentiments of many at a chilly Dean Court in stating a Grecians goal never looked likely.

"We didn't quite look like we had it in us," conceded Perryman. "There were encouraging signs but it was one of those nights when we didn't look like we were going to score.

"We've got to keep going. Everyone's disappointed, but within your disappointment what can you do?

"You can't pack up, you can't give up, you have to go into the next game and keep going for it and keep working.

"If we'd have won here tonight 3-0 it's no good sitting back and saying 'well Saturday will be easy' because it won't.

"You just keep trying to improve and working hard and you're just looking for a little something to turn your way."

City's chances of breaking their barren spell – which now stands at four games – were certainly not enhanced when midfielder Liam Sercombe's name did not appear on the teamsheet.

Paul Tisdale turned to Daniel Nardiello and Richard Logan as Jake Taylor and John O'Flynn were dropped to the bench, while Billy Jones came in for Scott Golbourne, who left the club last month, as City lined up in a 3-5-2 formation.

The opening 20 minutes saw little action as both sides struggled to find any rhythm on a cold evening on the south coast.

Nardiello succeeded in warming goalkeeper Darryl Flahavan's palms with a long-range effort, while at the other end, Shaun MacDonald smashed a wayward attempt high and wide.

Artur Krysiak then had a simple save to make from Tubbs' first attempt in a Bournemouth shirt, as the debutant looked to justify the hefty price-tag which has come to signify the difference in resources between the two sides in the last few days.

The hosts did start upping the tempo and only some brave blocking by a gang of City defenders kept the scores all square.

Exeter would probably welcome a goal by hook or by crook at the moment, but referee Oliver Langford spotted a bit too much of the latter as Troy Archibald-Henville forced both ball and Flahavan over the goalline, and the centre-back's effort was disallowed.

Logan then drew a superb reflex save from the shot-stopper, who tipped away the striker's superb goal-bound header from James Dunne's accurate cross.

City were finally made to pay for their lack of bite at one end when Bournemouth broke the deadlock at the other, and it was a goal neither David Noble nor Steve Tully will enjoy watching again.

The Grecians skipper lost the ball to Scott Malone, who beat Tully all too easily before crossing for Tubbs, who predictably opened his Cherries account from close range.

O'Flynn was summoned from the bench, but the hosts could smell blood, and they opportunistically doubled their advantage with a slick counter-attacking goal.

A City corner was cleared to Malone on the edge of the box, and the former Wolverhampton Wanderers winger powered forward and fed Tubbs, who returned the pass to a marauding Malone to fire emphatically past Krysiak.

City's disciplined and resolute defending for most of the game should be a source of encouragement for players and fans alike, just as their profligacy at the other end should be a cause for concern.

And with the visit of League One high-fliers Sheffield Wednesday at St James's Park on Saturday, a solution to their goal-scoring problem will be crucial to their chances of a result.