Preview: Exeter City vs Morecambe
City finally got back to scoring, and winning, ways on Saturday with a 3-1 victory over relegation-threatened Stevenage, and will hope to build momentum with victory on Tuesday night against one of the division’s surprise packages. Matt Jay and Ryan Bowman both ended their recent goal droughts by netting as injury forced Matt Taylor to go back to the wing back system that has previously served him well. The continued absence of Joel Randall and Randell Williams means it’s likely that this formation will be utilised again, with the likes of Alex Hartridge and Nicky Law being utilised.
Expected to struggle as usual, Morecambe have confounded the critics to maintain a promotion push into the second half of the season. A 3-0 victory over Colchester on Saturday kept the Shrimps in the playoff places as Derek Adams’ side recorded their first win of 2021 after ending 2020 with four straight wins, while January also saw Morecambe head to the big time for an FA Cup match at Chelsea. In the Morecambe side on Saturday was a face that will be familiar to City supporters this season – Jokul Andresson, who earned plaudits during his emergency loan spell at City, has joined the Shrimps on a similar basis after they were left without a frontline keeper due to injury and the end of a loan. Another former City player, Liam McAlinden made a brief cameo off the bench and will likely be on the bench again on Tuesday. The player to watch will be Carlos Mendes Gomes, who has eight goals to his name, while Adam Phillips is top scorer across all competitions with nine.
Andresson was in sticks when the sides met in November for an entertaining 2-2 draw. Randall gave City the lead but the hosts were 2-1 up by half time through Mendes Gomes and Hendrie before Jake Taylor equalised in the second half. This fixture was one that fell by the wayside following the Covid-enforced shutdown last season. City have a healthy head to head lead with 11 wins to Morecambe’s four, but that draw in November meant that 12 matches between the sides have now finished level. Head to head info can be found at https://www.grecians.co.uk/wordpress/?p=9082
Match official for the game will be:-
Referee: Craig Hicks
Assistant Referees: Richard Morris and Robert Dabbs
Fourth Official : John Flynn
Craig Hicks has refereed six Exeter games, details at https://www.grecians.co.uk/wordpress/?s=hicks