Next Up: Exeter City vs Peterborough United
Just as City’s away form appears to have picked up, the old familiar problems surfaced in a controversial 1-0 home defeat to Matt Taylor’s Bristol Rovers on Saturday. While City can claim to be aggrieved about the winner especially since the laws around referee interference changed a few years back, it’s the inability to create and take chances that is costing Gary Caldwell’s side dear. Caldwell has an immediate chance to pick his side up as a busy February continues with a match against a side where goals are always just around the corner. Mo Eisa made his first appearance off the bench on Saturday and may be in line for his first start against one of his former clubs, while Ryan Woods could be part of the squad having missed out on the 18 on Saturday.
Peterborough have once again been installed amongst the promotion favourites and Darren Ferguson’s Posh have lived up to the billing, currently sitting in fourth place albeit having suffered their first defeat since early November on Saturday – ironically the team that ended this run, Wigan, was the last team to inflict defeat on Peterborough. Despite the vultures circling around London Road during the transfer window, Ferguson “lost” only one player in Ephron Mason-Clark, who has rejoined on loan from Coventry until the end of the season. Mason-Clark has 16 goals in all competitions (ten in the league) to be top scorer, but City will have to watch the goal threat of a number of players such as Clarke-Harris and Ricky Jade-Jones. Two players expecting to line up at their former home will be Joel Randall and Archie Collins, who have both established themselves as regulars in the Peterborough side.
Tuesday’s match is the last for City against opposition they have yet to face this season, the original fixture having been called off due to international call-ups. Last season’s fixtures saw the home sides emerge on top – City perhaps surprising winners at the Park in a pulsating 3-2 victory – City led through Dieng but goals from Clarke-Harris and Mason-Clark gave Peterborough a 2-1 lead before late goals from Sam Nombe and Jevani Brown sealed the win. Peterborough got their revenge at London Road – they led 2-0 at half time through a Hartridge OG and Mason-Clark, Rekeem Harper reduced the arrears immediately after half time but Clarke-Harris put the seal on a 3-1 win. That win extended Peterborough’s league head to head lead to 15-12, but draws are on top with 19.
The match officials for this game will be:-
Referee: Tom Reeves
Assistant Referees: Dean Treleaven and Samuel Fudge
Fourth Official : Gary Parsons
Tom Reeves took charge of the televised game away at Portsmouth in August.