Next Up: Exeter City vs Chesterfield
City produced an impressive result in drawing 1-1 at high-flying Accrington to end their winning run and deny them promotion on the day, but with Wycombe snatching a late 1-0 win at Yeovil, there is now a four point gap between the sides going into a week where both sides play rearranged fixtures – City will be hoping the Chairboys slip up at Lincoln 
while attempting to do the business against the side at the bottom of the division. Injury problems continue to give Paul Tisdale a headache, with Dean Moxey limping off against Accrington, although it’s hoped the knock was only a minor one and that Moxey will be fit enough for Tuesday night. Otherwise Luke Croll looks the most likely to deputise. Given a hectic run of fixtures Tisdale may look to freshen things up anyway, although his options are limited currently.
With just five fixtures left, it’s looking increasingly likely that Chesterfield will have to endure a second successive relegation amidst rumoured off-field financial issues. A 1-0 defeat to hated rivals Mansfield on Saturday has left the Spireites seven points from safety. Jack Lester, a name so synonymous with the club’s fortunes in recent years that the club was known as “Lesterfield” to fans, was brought in to try to avoid the drop but he hasn’t been able to improve their fortunes. What is worth noting, however, is that while they have recorded only four wins in 2018, three of those have 
been against Luton, Swindon and most recently Notts County, something City will need to be wary of as clearly they raise their game against the top sides in the division. Key to their chances of success will be Kristian Dennis, who amongst the gloom has scored 19 in all competitions, but he has found little support – the next top scorer is Jak McCourt with just six. All in all 40 players have been used in the league, a sign of trying unsuccessfully to find the winning formula.
Perhaps in keeping with their decent form against the better sides, Chesterfield managed to record a 1-0 win over City at the Proact Stadium back in November during City’s wretched away run. No surprise with the goal scorer as it was Dennis, before Scott Wiseman saw red late on. The last time Chesterfield made the long trip to the Park was in their 2013/14 promotion season, as they came away with a 2-0 win through Banks and Richards. Indeed, Chesterfield have a healthy head to head record with 22 wins to City’s 10 (11 draws).
Details of the last 13 games with Chesterfield can be found at http://www.grecians.co.uk/wordpress/?p=9471
The match officials will be:-
Referee: Brendan Malone
Assistant Referees: Simon Knapp and Samuel Ogles
Fourth Official: Sam Allison
Brendan Malone has refereed 15 Exeter games, the most recent being the 1-1 draw with Portsmouth in March 2016. Details of those games can be found at http://www.grecians.co.uk/wordpress/?s=malone