Next Up: Exeter City vs Wycombe Wanderers

City returned to winning ways with a comfortable 2-0 win over League Two Chesterfield in the FA Cup, but while Gary Caldwell’s side will know their third round opponents later today (Monday), there is no time to dwell on this as the surprise leaders of the division visit on Tuesday night. One notable inclusion on Saturday was Jake Richards, with Caldwell describing his performance as his best yet in a City shirt, but with the 17 year old’s contract wrangles still ongoing, it may be that he remains out of contention on Tuesday night. Should Caldwell decide to continue with Ed Francis at the back this could open the door for one of Watts, Doyle or McDonald to start in midfield. Elsewhere Demetri Mitchell has joined Reece Cole as a notable absentee from the matchday squad in the last couple of games alongside the long-term absentees.

While City were cruising to a 2-0 win over lower league opposition on Saturday, Wycombe played an almost entirely reserve side at Wealdstone in front of the TV cameras and similarly emerged 2-0 winners. This continued the Chairboys’ ridiculous run of 11 straight wins in league and cup and 12 in 13 – the only blemish a 2-2 draw at Barnsley. As a result Wycombe have opened up a four point gap to Wrexham, vindication of the Buckinghamshire side’s faith in club legend Matt Bloomfield, who had a slow start to life in the hotseat following the departure of Gareth Ainsworth but has moulded the side in his image, given the time to change the team’s playing style. That he was able to make 11 changes on Saturday, including bringing in their two former City players in Alex Hartridge and David Wheeler, and still have players like Bez Lubala to call upon, shows the depth of their squad, and means also their first choice side will be well rested ahead of Tuesday’s trip. Top scorer Richard Kone (12 in all competitions) has a fascinating back story, having played in the Homeless World Cup before being snapped up from the ninth tier by Wycombe in January.

If any match defined City’s recovery in the second half of last season, it was the Boxing Day visit of Wycombe. With City having failed to win a league match in an eternity, a goal from Sonny Cox sealed a 1-0 win but it took a Vil Sinisalo penalty save deep into injury time to confirm the win. That win sealed a double for City, as the match on the opening day of the season at Adams Park saw City explode out of the blocks with Jack Aitchison taking less than a minute to open his account for the club, Will Aimson quickly making it 2-0 before James Scott completed a 3-0 win in the second half. Those wins gave City the lead in league head to heads with eight wins to Wycombe’s seven, with seven matches finishing level.

The match officials for this game will be:-

Referee: James Durkin
Assistant Referee: Samuel Fudge and Thomas Staten
Fourth Official : Tom Reeves

While James Durkin has been a fourth official in many of Exeter’s games over the last few seasons, this is his first time taking charge of an Exeter City game.

Jack Aitchison’s thoughts ahead of the game

Manager Gary Caldwell’s pre-match thoughts