Exeter City will be hoping to end a worrying run of three-straight defeats when they welcome playoff-chasing Derby County to St James Park in League One on Tuesday night.

The Grecians lie in the safety of mid-table with just four matches left to play, whilst Derby still have a whole lot of work to do in order to secure an immediate return to the Championship.

Match preview

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Exeter have made a successful return to League One in their first campaign at this level since the 2011-12 season, having all but secured their place in the division next term with four matches left to play.

The Grecians are currently enduring their worst losing run of the league season, with losses against EFL Trophy winners Bolton Wanderers and sixth-placed Peterborough United being followed up by a home defeat to Steven Schumacher's Plymouth Argyle on Saturday.

By the time Gary Caldwell's men travel to Portman Road in late April to clash with Ipswich Town, all six of Exeter's most-recent matches will have been against top-seven sides in League One, making it very handy that the Devon-based club got their survival business completed early.

Now sitting in 13th and 13 points ahead of 21st-placed Cambridge United in the third-tier standings, Caldwell's side know they can play without fear in their final quartet of fixtures, with the Grecians hierarchy surely having one eye on next season already.

Sam Nombe and Jevani Brown have been the attacking duo to fire Exeter to safety this term, with the pair bagging 27 League One goals between them in what is both their first full seasons at this level.

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Derby failed to earn a much-needed three points for the second game running on Saturday afternoon, playing out a 1-1 draw with Bristol Rovers at the Memorial Stadium in Gloucestershire.

David McGoldrick's 19th league goal of the season after just four minutes looked - for the majority of the contest - to be the match winner, but a 95th-minute Antony Evans penalty meant the Rams travelled back to the East Midlands with just a point for their efforts.

Paul Warne left second-tier outfit Rotherham United in order to be part of a new project at Derby - one which involved the club's promotion to the Championship at the first attempt, although things are not proving to be so simple.

The Rams currently sit seventh in the League One table, one point behind Peterborough in sixth and two behind Bolton in fifth - it looks set to be quite the squabble between three big clubs for just two places in the playoffs.

The East Midlands club have been frustratingly inconsistent on their travels this season, winning just seven of their 21 League One outings - a record not often associated with promotion.

Team News

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Exeter forward Jay Stansfield made his first appearance in nearly three weeks during the defeat to Devon rivals Plymouth on Saturday, and the 20-year-old is set to partner Nombe in attack once again on Tuesday.

Veteran Kevin McDonald was not able to make the matchday squad to face Argyle, but the midfielder is likely to return to the fold in this one and could replace Kgaogelo Chauke or Harry Kite in the Grecians engine room.

Derby boss Warne could make changes to his side in an attempt to halt a run of draws, with the likes of Max Bird and Lewis Dobbin pushing for starts after cameos off the bench at the Memorial Stadium.

The Rams' youngster Louie Sibley was an unused substitute against the Pirates last time out, but the 21-year-old could come into the side here as he looks to net his fourth league goal of the season.

Exeter City possible starting lineup:
Blackman; Sweeney, Aimson, Hartridge; Key, Kite, Chauke, Collins, Mitchell; Stansfield, Nombe

Derby County possible starting lineup:
Wildsmith; Rooney, Cashin, Roberts; Mendez-Laing, Smith, Hourihane, Knight, Barkhuizen; McGoldrick, Collins

We say: Exeter City 1-2 Derby County

Exeter's results have experienced a dip during a difficult run of fixtures, and the visit of a playoff-chasing Derby on Tuesday night will be another tricky test.

Warne's men know a victory at St James Park could move them as high as fifth with just three matches left to play - we believe the Rams will end their spell of draws in this one with a vital maximum.


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