If a Boro’ team wins 1-0 at Carlisle, but the fans’ bus doesn’t get there for our clan to see it happen, does it really happen? It must do. We’ve seen YouTube vids and animated gifs. Here’s a picture. What more bloody proof do you need? Well, how about we get the lads to repeat the trick? Exeter may be slightly nearer than Carlisle, but no less tough a challenge. Carry on Boro’ and keep the roads clear as we go to Sid James’ Park.
On paper, it’s third against fourth. With 36 matches still go to this season, however, you’ll get long odds on that still being the case come May. Not impossible, sure. It’s your pocket money and we want nothing to do with it. Our hosts are among the front runners for promotion in the current pickings, however. It makes for quite a challenge, but also a second chance in as many games to show we’ve got something about us ‘n all.
Exeter City v Stevenage: The Lowdown
The Referee
P2 W1 D1 L0 F5 A2; last result: Stevenage 4-1 Barnet, 02/04/2018
Footloose! Antony Coggins is the fella taking charge of matters down at Exeter; our previous with him only amounting to two outings. The good news is that he’s not yet been a bad omen for us. The bad news is that one of those two matches was our home win over Barnet last term; a side that even a Sunday League outfit would’ve fancied their chances against. The other, meanwhile, was our 1-1 draw at Colchester last season.
The Opposition
P22 W6 D8 L8 F21 A29; last result: Stevenage 3-1 Exeter City, 28/04/2018
Call us paranoid if you want, but we don’t think we’ll be getting a Christmas card from the lads in Devon this year. Our 3-1 win over the Grecians in last season’s final match indoors did for their automatic promotion hopes what video did for the radio star. You’ll no doubt be realising that, like Accrington a couple of seasons ago, we forced them into the playoffs and it didn’t go well for them. After all, they’re still here aren’t they?
The Form
So, how can we get under the Grecians’ skin? Only two sides (so far) this season have left Sid James’ Park with anything to show for their visit apart from the lousy souvenir t-shirt. You know the kind. The “I went to Exeter and all I got was this ill-fitting motif t-shirt”. The two sides in question, as it goes, are the only two above them in the table; Newport earning a point, and Lincoln with three. Early season form suggests we’re up against it.
Exeter do concede at home, mind you; at least once in each of their last five. Our defence will need to be on it from the off in both halves; the Grecians have scored six inside the first 30 minutes and four within the first 15 minutes after the break. They’re also potent in the final 15 too; five goals racked up in that period. So, actually, our defence needs to be on it full stop. Just before HT, meanwhile, is a good time to catch them. Capiche?
• MORE ABOUT ‘EM: Exeter City club profile
