WHEN a man has got to go, a man has got to go.

Richie Wellens – suffering from stomach ache – vowed to never take a pee-break during a game again after missing Exeter City’s goal for an impromptu trip to the toilet.

Cheers from the grandstand gave Wellens the impression that Town had taken the lead.

But when walking back into the technical area, the Town boss was pleasantly surprised to hear over 1,000 travelling Swindon fans in strong voice despite his side conceding the game’s first goal.

“I went to the toilet when they scored – I heard a big cheer and the toilets are underneath the Town fans, so I thought it was us,” said Wellens.

“I raced back out, and I saw the Exeter players walking back despite Swindon fans singing. My analysis of their goal is for me not to go to the toilet again, but I had stomach ache.”

To Wellens’ delight, striker Eoin Doyle equalised with three minutes of the game remaining when flicking on Zeki Fryers’ cross from the byline.

The goal not only denied Exeter top spot in League Two after three rounds of fixtures, but also promoted Town to the summit of the division on goal difference after Plymouth Argyle lost at Newport.

Wellens accepted losing this afternoon’s tie would’ve been a disaster given Town’s dominant first-half performance.

He added: “I would’ve been gutted if we left here without a point, especially after the first half.

“We should’ve had a penalty – Lloyd Isgrove was about to shoot and he got pushed in the back.

“Keshi (Anderson) had a great strike that got cleared off the line, we should’ve scored then.

“The second half was too end-to-end for my liking.

“The game turned in their favour after their goal, and I didn’t like what I saw from my team during that period – I thought we lost our nerve a little bit.

“We started taking the easy route, we booted the ball and I don’t like that.

“But Eoin Doyle did what Eoin Doyle does. That goal got our belief back, and I don’t want us to ever lose that belief.

“You only lose your belief in football if you don’t know what you’re doing on the pitch.

“If you’ve got a plan, you’re always in the game. The least we deserved was a point today.”