Next Up: Exeter City vs Oxford United

City’s fine end to the season continued with a hard-earned 2-1 win at Northampton despite Ryan Woods’ red card for breathing in the direction of Northampton skipper Jon Guthrie – a win that currently has City top of the League One form table. Woods, assuming no successful appeal, will therefore have ended a successful loan spell a match early, giving an opportunity to Harry Kite to mark his final City appearance with a start. Gary Caldwell may again look to give opportunities either to those slated to be a key part of the side next season or to those definitely on their way out, meaning it could be quite an experimental line up. However, given City’s recent performances despite injuries and this rotation in recent weeks, as well as the final day win last season that relegated Morecambe, Oxford will know that they won’t face a side that is on the beach already.

With four teams battling on the final day for the last two spots in the playoffs, Oxford’s 1-1 draw with Stevenage last weekend combined with a win for Lincoln places them just below the line in 7th place and needing to beat the result either of Lincoln or beleaguered Barnsley (who sacked their manager with one match remaining this week) to extend their season. Having spent wisely during the summer following an awful campaign in 22/23 that saw the Us dicing with relegation, Oxford had to cope with the departure of their manager during the season. In came Des Buckingham who, after an inconsistent start to his tenure, has begun to oversee a resurgence similar to that of Lincoln with 13 goals in three matches before defeat to playoff rivals Lincoln and that draw with Stevenage. Unlike City, Oxford have seen the goals flowing with no fewer than eight players registering at least five league goals and two players in double figures – top scorer Mark Harris has 18 in all competitions.

City’s decline from top to near bottom in the latter part of 2023 could possibly be traced, like the defeat to last week’s opponents Northampton, to a 3-0 trouncing at Oxford near the end of September. Despite dominating possession (as City so often do), an early strike from Reuben Rodrigues and two late penalties from Cameron Brannagan sealed the win for the Us. Last season’s match at the Park saw managerless City go into a 4-0 deficit through Brannagan, Long and two from Joseph before reducing the arrears to 2-4 through Jevani Brown and Sonny Cox’s first league goal. City have not, in fact, registered a win at SJP in league play since the 07/08 National League promotion season when the Setanta cameras were on hand to witness the late Adam Stansfield’s double in a 2-0 win. City do, however, continue to hold a league head to head lead with 16 wins to Oxford’s 11, 14 matches finishing level.

The match officials for the game will be:-

Referee: Tom Reeves
Assistant Referees: Justin Amey and Kevin Howick
Fourth Official : James Durkin

Tom Reeves has refereed Exeter twice, both this season. Firstly the defeat away at Portsmouth then the home win over Peterborough.

{Interviews continue after this advert break.}

Interview with manager Gary Caldwell

Interview with Harry Kite