Next Up: Cambridge United vs Exeter City

City’s 100% league start came to an end with Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Newport, but with Lincoln and Paul Tisdale’s MK Dons also dropping two points City’s position as joint leaders of League Two is in tact ahead of the first midweek league encounter of the season. Nicky Law came off the bench following the injury that kept him out of the Carabao Cup tie with Ipswich, and he will be vying for a start, but otherwise any changes may be to rotate during a busy run of games.

Cambridge are a difficult team to judge in terms of their credentials – they appear to be very strong on paper but after a season of mid-table obscurity last time out they have made an indifferent start to Joe Dunne’s first full season in charge. They suffered a heavy defeat at Port Vale on the opening day before beating pre-season promotion favourites Notts County, only to suffer a humiliating 4-1 home defeat to City’s weekend opponents Newport in the Carabao Cup. Saturday saw the Us brush this off somewhat with a 2-2 draw at Northampton. Cambridge boast an array of attacking talent, including one familiar face in former City striker Barry Corr, alongside the likes of Jabo Ibehre, George Maris and Ade Azeez.

Last season City took all six points from this fixture – the opening day of the season saw Reuben Reid’s solitary goal after just five minutes earn the points, but it was a rollercoaster in the return fixture in April. The hosts took the lead just before half time through Ibehre. Stockley equalised in the second half, only for a stunning strike by Maris to restore Cambridge’s advantage. Matt Jay’s first league goal seemed to have earned City a point late on, only for Jake Taylor to snatch an unlikely 3-2 win. City’s decent record against Cambridge since the latter returned to the league (the 16/17 season apart) has closed the league head to head gap – Cambridge have 23 wins to City’s 18, with 11 fixtures finishing level.

Details of the last 43 games between the two sides can be found at http://www.grecians.co.uk/wordpress/?p=9355

The match officials for this game are:-

Referee: Craig Hicks
Assistant Referees: Daniel Cook and Rob Smith
Fourth Official : Callum Walchester

Hicks has refereed two games for Exeter, both at St James Park. Details at http://www.grecians.co.uk/wordpress/?s=hicks