Exeter City will welcome Carlisle United to St James Park on Saturday for a key contest at the bottom end of the League One table.
Both currently sitting in the relegation zone, the visitors climbed to 22nd spot and reduced the gap between the sides to three points with a return to winning ways on New Year's Day.
Match preview
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Exeter City return to action at the weekend aiming to bounce back to winning ways in League One, having dropped into the relegation zone after the turn of the year following a tough first half to the season.
That is despite the Grecians starting in impressive fashion by earning 16 points from their opening eight matches, as they have since picked up just one more victory and added seven more points to their tally in their last 16 attempts, firstly plummeting down the table as they endured a 13-game winless run including 10 losses.
Gary Caldwell's men were then finally able to stop the rot on Boxing Day with a first league triumph since mid-September, beating Wycombe Wanderers on home turf as Sonny Cox netted the only goal of the game before the hour mark, before they further improved their position by building on that with a creditable point from a goalless draw at home to league leaders Portsmouth.
A trip to Reading then followed on New Year's Day, but the Grecians were unable to continue their improved run, eventually falling to a 3-2 defeat in Berkshire despite twice drawing level through Zak Jules and Dion Rankine, as Femi Azeez went on to net the decisive goal 13 minutes from time.
As a result of that defeat, Exeter City dropped below the Royals and into the bottom four, but only adrift of safety on goal difference, they will be keen to bounce back on their return to St James Park and jump back out of the bottom four on Saturday.
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They meet a Carlisle United side who will also set out to boost their survival hopes with a much-needed victory at the weekend, having moved within three points of the hosts with a return to winning ways last time out.
Following their promotion from England's fourth tier last term, Saturday's visitors have endured a tough start to life back in League One, having sat in the relegation for the majority of the season thus far with just 20 points on the board from their first 25 outings.
Indeed, the Cumbrians headed into the new year on just 17 points following a seven-match winless streak, culminating in a draw away at Fleetwood Town on Boxing Day and a 2-0 defeat to Wigan Athletic before managing to bounce back when they hosted Port Vale on Monday.
John Simpson's side trailed by a goal to nil heading into the final 10 minutes, but Jordan Gibson levelled the scores from the penalty spot before Jon Mellish netted the winner three minutes into injury time, sealing his side's fourth three-point haul.
Now with a degree of renewed confidence on the back of that result, having climbed up to 22nd spot with that triumph and moved within three points of Saturday's hosts and safety, Carlisle will be desperate to make it back-to-back victories on Saturday to strengthen their position.
Team News
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Gary Caldwell should avoid making too many changes to his Exeter City side from their narrow defeat away at Portsmouth last time out, with winger Yanic Wildschut likely remaining sidelined by injury, while Demetri Mitchell will also continue a long-term layoff.
While Sonny Cox will fight to come in up front, James Scott and Jack Aitchison should again get the nod to lead the line, with Chelsea loanee Dion Rankine bound to again line up on the right wing after scoring at Fratton Park on New Year's Day.
Key man Ryan Trevitt, who has impressed since joining on loan from Brentford, could also miss out again at the weekend having been absent for their last three games through injury, meaning Reece Cole should continue alongside Tom Carroll in the engine room.
Following their 2-1 win over Port Vale on Monday, John Simpson should field an unchanged starting XI this weekend in a 3-5-2 shape, with midfielder Callum Guy remaining sidelined by an injury.
Sam Lavelle, Jon Mellish and Ben Barclay are bound to line up in an unchanged back three, with the former having featured in every minute of League One action for the Cumbrians so far this term.
In Guy's absence, Jordan Gibson, Taylor Charters and Owen Moxon should continue in a midfield trio, while veteran forward Joe Garner should continue up front alongside Sean Maguire.
Exeter City possible starting lineup:
Sinisalo; Kite, Diabate, Hartridge, Jules; Rankine, Carroll, Cole, Kiskanen; Scott, Aitchison
Carlisle United possible starting lineup:
Breeze; Barclay, Lavelle, Mellish; Emmanuel, Moxon, Charters, Gibson, Robinson; Garner, Maguire
We say: Exeter City 1-1 Carlisle United
In a true six-pointer at the bottom end of League One, with the chance to jump out of the bottom four on the line, we anticipate a tight encounter at St James Park and cannot quite pick a winner, with both sides keen to build on recent improvements.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Sam Varley
