Next Up: Away to Port Vale

It had to happen eventually, and City’s away bubble finally burst at in-form Burton on Saturday. Paul Tisdale’s side has the opportunity to put things right immediately albeit with another daunting trip to second-placed Port Vale. Tisdale’s frustration at losing Artur Krysiak to injury will have been tempered by substitute appearances from Matt Oakley and John O’Flynn –Oakley in particular pressed his claims for a recall, possibly at the expense of Arron Davies, while O’Flynn may start in favour of Jimmy Keohane.

With the burden of administration no longer upon them, the Valiants can concentrate fully on their push for promotion, with Micky Adams having the luxury of adding to an already strong squad with the likes of Lee Hughes and Darren Purse. Recent performances have perhaps left a bit to be desired, with their last three games yielding a single deflected effort, although that was enough to give them a win at Torquay at the weekend. Tom Pope has, like Jamie Cureton for City, been in devastating goalscoring form but, like Cureton (Morecambe apart), Pope’s form seems to have deserted him somewhat, and he is without a goal in his last five appearances. Another player hoping to make an impact will be Richard Duffy, a key player in City’s spell in League One and who has been a regular in Vale’s defence.

It was that man Pope with both goals back in October when Vale took the points in the reverse of this fixture, but City’s last trip to Vale Park in 08/09, also on a Tuesday night, saw the Grecians emerge with a 3-1 win (Sercombe, Stewart and Gill – from a corner when keeper Anyon dropped the ball into his own net). Overall it’s the side named after a house in Burslem that enjoys the advantage, 19 league victories to City’s 14, with 10 draws.

Details of the match officials: http://www.exeweb.com/2013/02/25/match-officials-port-vale-away/

Our guide to Vale Park, pubs and travel. http://www.exeweb.com/2012/08/15/the-things-you-need-to-know-vale-park/