Fleetwood Town will look to climb out of the bottom four of the League One table on Saturday, when they welcome Exeter City to Highbury.
The hosts have climbed to within a point of safety thanks to a three-game unbeaten run, while their visitors are now just four points better off in 17th spot in the midst of a dismal run of form.
Match preview
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Fleetwood Town will head into the weekend aiming to continue an upturn in form in their survival bid in League One, having gone unbeaten in their last three matches in England's third tier after a dismal start to the campaign.
Lee Johnson took the reins at Highbury in early September with the Cod Army on just a single point from their first six league outings, but they have since 12 points from nine games under the new boss, as they put their first two wins on the board consecutively between late September and early October against Leyton Orient and Cheltenham Town, only to then suffer back-to-back defeats to sit on eight points from 12 outings.
Aiming to bounce back from those home losses to Wycombe Wanderers and Lincoln City, Johnson's men then travelled to fellow strugglers Reading and picked up a crucial 2-1 victory thanks to Josh Vela's 90th-minute winner, before they were on the wrong end of a late goal away at high-flying Barnsley, as they had to leave Oakwell with an admittedly impressive point from a 2-2 draw after Corey O'Keefe pegged them back two minutes from time.
Local rivals Blackpool were the latest side to stand in the Cod Army's way in League One at the beginning of November, and the trend of late goals continued as the dramatic meeting ended in a 3-3 draw at Highbury thanks to Jack Marriott's 90th-minute goal, after he and Promise Omochere had previously had the hosts ahead before Sonny Carey and Shayne Lavery turned the game on its head for the playoff-chasers.
Now on the back of cup victories over Kidderminster Harriers and Leicester City Under-21s, with the latter being a 4-0 thrashing, Fleetwood Town return to action in a slightly more positive position having climbed within a point of safety with their three impressive results on the bounce in the third tier, and they will now aim to make it six games unbeaten in all competitions with a fourth league win of the season to move within a point of their opponents and likely jump out of the drop zone.
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Their opponents, meanwhile, travel to Highbury with the aim of arresting a dramatic slump in their form after making a positive start to the new League One season under the management of Gary Caldwell.
Following a 14th-placed finish in their return to League One last season, the Grecians collected an eye-catching tally of 16 points from their opening eight games, but their fortunes would then take a sharp dip in mid-September as they went on to suffer six straight defeats.
Across those six matches, Caldwell's side conceded 14 goals while only scoring once, culminating in 2-0 defeats at the hands of Wigan Athletic and Derby County, before they were at least able to halt the losing run with a 1-1 draw at home to Lincoln City in their last third-tier outing, having trailed until the 81st minute, when Ryan Trevitt levelled the scores to earn them a crucial point.
Nonetheless, Exeter have quickly dropped to 17th spot as a result of their dismal run over the last two months, and their poor fortunes continued into recent cup outings, as that draw was followed by a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Middlesbrough in the EFL Cup, before they most recently exited the FA Cup last weekend owing to another 2-0 defeat to Wigan Athletic, with Thelo Aasgaard and Steven Sessegnon on the scoresheet.
Now turning their focus back to League One, with just a three-point lead over the drop zone, having not won in the third tier since mid-September and in any competition since the end of that month, Caldwell's men will be desperate to bounce back at the weekend and make a long-awaited return to winning ways to kickstart a climb back up the table.
Team News
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After rotating his Fleetwood Town squad for their recent cup games, Lee Johnson may revert to the same starting XI from their draw with Blackpool last time out in League One, with experienced forward Jack Marriott bound to return and lead the line after his brace to force a share of the spoils in that game.
If winger Junior Quitirna, who netted both goals in their 2-2 draw away at Barnsley, remains sidelined by injury, Marriott should again be flanked by Promise Omochere and Phoenix Patterson on Saturday.
Elsewhere, Josh Vela and Danny Mayor should again operate ahead of Brendan Sarpong-Wiredu in a talented midfield unit, while Ben Heneghan and Bosun Lawal will likely return to the middle of the defence.
Exeter City continue to deal with several injury issues, including key wing-back Demetri Mitchell, who will remain confined to the treatment room having contributed three goals and three assists across league and EFL Cup action so far this term.
Jake Scott should continue to lead the line, with the likes of Jack Aitchison, Sonny Cox, Yanic Wildschut and Admiral Muskwe fighting for the other spots, while Brentford loanee Ryan Trevitt has been their key man going forward so far this term having notched up five goals in 17 appearances from midfield in all competitions.
Reece Cole should return from the outset to join him in the engine room, while Pierce Sweeney, Will Aimson and Alex Hartridge will line up in an unchanged back three at Highbury.
Fleetwood Town possible starting lineup:
Lynch; Rooney, Lawal, Heneghan, Earl; Sarpong-Wiredu; Omochere, Mayor, Vela, Patterson; Marriott
Exeter City possible starting lineup:
Sinisalo; Sweeney, Aimson, Hartridge; Kite, Cole, Trevitt, Jules; Wildschut, Scott, Aitchison
We say: Fleetwood Town 2-1 Exeter City
Fleetwood are gaining momentum under Lee Johnson having seemingly turned a corner, while Exeter are devoid of any confidence given their poor recent run, and we envisage the hosts coming out on top this weekend and closing the gap between the two sides with differing trajectories to just a single point.
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Top tip
Sam Varley
