We must improve insists Terriers chief Clark

The Terriers' slim automatic promotion hopes went up in smoke as Exeter clinched survival after mounting a spirited comeback to win 2-1 at home on Saturday.

Clark fired a warning to his players that they must improve when they face Millwall in the play-off semi-final first leg at home on Saturday.

"This is a smack across the chops," he said. "In all honesty, it was a bit of a wake-up call for my lads.

"It just shows that when you are not 100 per cent there is a good chance that you might not get the result that you want.

"So we are going to be right at it in the first leg of the play-offs. We have got three cup finals and cup finals require passion, desire and commitment.

"There weren't enough good individual performances (at Exeter). I don't want to be too harsh on the players because it is a magnificent achievement to get into the play-offs.

"It is going to be a tough match against Millwall. They are a good team and I rate their manager very highly. But if we are going to get promotion then we are going to have to beat the best teams."

Clark conceded that Exeter deserved to claim all three points on an afternoon of tension at St James's Park.

"We made a great start – the players did what I asked of them to achieve the early goal," he added.

"We knew there would be a bit of tension around the place, so we wanted to push them up the pitch into their final third and put them under pressure. We took the goal well.

"At that point, we stopped doing the good things. We wanted to put crosses in to put their goalkeeper and defenders under pressure, but instead they did it to us – they put the ball high up the pitch, got some set-plays and caused us problems.

"In all honesty, it was no surprise when they got the goal. I hope the players didn't relax (at Exeter) because they are playing for their places. I hate that suggestion anyway – how could any professional footballer relax when they are playing in front of the great fan base that we've got? It's absolute garbage."

Exeter manager Paul Tisdale said: "It was a little too close for comfort in the end, but we made it. I can now look back on the season and enjoy every minute.

"We have achieved what we achieved on the last day of last season which is League One status.

"I was aware that Tranmere were winning in the other game and we knew we had to win the match.

"We gifted them a goal earlier in the game which made it harder, but it settled the nerves. It was a wonderful achievement and I am so pleased."