Having (eventually) beaten Accrington 2-0 last Friday, City enter a potentially season-defining run of matches against promotion rivals with a trip to Burton on Saturday. Injury problems still persist for Paul Tisdale’s Grecians, although there is welcome news in that Matt Oakley and John O’Flynn could be in contention to make the trip. Jimmy Keohane is also pressing for a recall having come off the bench to notch his first home goals for the club.

When the pundits were putting together their predictions for the season, very few would have had Burton in contention at the top of the table – in fact, the Brewers were considered more likely to be fighting down at the bottom instead. Gary Rowett, who took over late last season from Paul Peschisolido, has done a remarkable job. A large chunk of Burton’s success is down to their form at home. The Pirelli Stadium has been turned into something of a fortress, with Burton recording 11 victories at home including eight successive wins dating back to a 1-1 draw with Port Vale way back in October. Key to their fortunes are Calvin Zola (13 goals this season) Jacques Maghoma (12 goals so far) and one time City target Billy Kee, the ex-Torquay striker has 11 goals to his name despite often featuring from the bench. In something of a mirror of City’s season they have struggled on their travels, but a resounding 4-0 win at promotion rivals Fleetwood on Saturday has given them fresh impetus.

The first meeting between the sides at Burton’s old Eton Park ground, back in City’s first Conference season, set the tone for a number of entertaining clashes when it finished 4-3 to the visitors, but that was perhaps trumped by City’s last trip to Burton, on the final day of the successful 2007/8 season, when a match between two teams guaranteed to reach the playoffs finished 4-4. City’s goalscorers that day were Moxey, Stansfield, Friend and Logan. The reverse this season ended with a comfortable 3-0 scoreline in September, a scoreline perhaps not reflecting a more even match, the scorers that afternoon being Cureton, Davies and O’Flynn. Overall the sides have recorded five wins each, with the only draw being that 4-4 thriller. With one of the division’s best home teams playing one of the division’s best away teams, this has the potential to be another cracker.

Visiting the Pirelli Stadium? Have a read of our guide, here.

Match officials have been announced: http://www.exeweb.com/2013/02/19/match-officials-burton-albion-away/

Some numbers about Burton Albion and Exeter City: http://www.exeweb.com/2013/02/19/burton-albion-v-exeter-city-in-numbers/

By Jason H

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