Preview: Carlisle United vs Exeter City

City’s fine start to the season continued in midweek with a 1-0 win in the EFL Trophy, a match which saw Nicky Ajose open his account for the club. Ajose will likely have to content himself with a place back on the bench on Saturday, however, as Matt Taylor will be set to return to his first choice XI for the long trip to Carlisle. The same is likely to be the case for the likes of Gary Warren, Jayden Richardson and Alex Fisher as City hope to extend their unbeaten run into September, but Tom Parkes will hope to feature against the side he left in the summer.

Carlisle were a side that during the summer seemed to split opinion between those who felt they’d feature in the promotion mix and those who felt they may struggle. It has been something of a slow start for Steven Pressley’s side, last Saturday’s 1-0 win at surprise basement side Scunthorpe their second win of the season to lift the Cumbrians up to 18th in the table. The scorer of that goal was loanee Ryan Loft, a player who spent half a season on loan at City in 2018 only to make just one start (where he was subbed off at half time). Loft will therefore be keen to show City what he is capable of, while Olufela Olomola has started well with two goals.

City took four points from this fixture last season – the corresponding match finished 1-1, Nicky Law’s first half goal cancelled out late on by Jamie Devitt. Law was again on target at the Park as one of three debutants to score in a 3-1 opening day win. Forte got the second, Bennett pulled one back before loanee Tristan Abrahams wrapped up the points late on. That win extended City’s league head to head lead to 24-19, 17 matches finishing level. The last 30 years encounters can be found at https://www.grecians.co.uk/wordpress/?p=10254

The match officials for the game will be:-

Referee: Jeremy Simpson
Assistant Referees: Geoffrey Liddle and David Avent
Fourth Official : Peter Gooch

We’ve not seen Jeremy Simpson refereeing an Exeter game for some years, Rochdale away in November 2013. The fours games he’s taken charge of can be found at https://www.grecians.co.uk/wordpress/?s=jeremy+simpson