Alex Jeannin, the former Exeter City player now with Hereford United, has spoken to the Exeter Express and Echo after the Bulls were defeated by the Grecians last Saturday.
"I have always said Exeter will be in the top five come the end of the season. I don't know exactly where they will finish - whether that means top or in the play-offs, who knows?
"But I am pretty sure we will be in there as well. I have not been impressed by one team in particular, but this is a strong league and it is very tight at the top.
"There will not be a runaway winner this season as there has been in the last two years. But in the end the strongest team will win the league."
Jeannin spoke about the game.
"I thought we played really well in the first half. We knew they were going to play the long ball, that's what they did and they put us under pressure in the second half.
"We made a silly mistake for the first goal and then we were 2-0 down. We knew it would be difficult to come back from that. But we were disappointed because we deserved to get a result."