Troy Archibald-Henville nearing a return to first team action
Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale says Troy Archibald-Henville’s return to the first-team squad is imminent but has not yet decided whether 28-year-old defender will feature in Saturday’s match away at Morecambe.
Troy has yet to play a competitive match for City this season having picked up a groin injury in the final game of pre-season. The Grecians have missed his physical presence at the centre of defence, especially with fellow first-choice centre-back Troy Brown also on the sidelines through injury.
However, Tis is wary of throwing the former Tottenham United trainee back into action too soon despite him playing 45 minutes of City’s 4-1 win over Swindon Town in a reserve team fixture on Tuesday.
“Troy (Archibald-Henville) has been out for 13 weeks from competitive play,” said Tis. “He has been back in training now for a fortnight and he has played half a game on Tuesday in the reserves.
“We just have to make a decision on how quickly we put him back into full and flat out game mode. He is close, but whether he will be ready for this week – on the bench or starting – I have yet to decide.”
Morecambe go into Saturday’s match having lost their last five games at the Globe Arena. Tis can sympathise with the Shrimps in that regard as City have picked up their four wins this season away from St James Park.
However, with Jim Bentley being the second-longest serving manager in the Football League – behind Paul Tisdale in first – the City boss knows to expect a tough test from Morecambe regardless of their home form and says it is important the Grecians play to the best of their ability.
“I empathise and sympathise with their home form,” said Tis. “But we have played against Morecambe so many times now under Jim and they have one or two elements that we always have to be careful of.
“That is for me to know, not to divulge and we will do our preparation – like we do every week – but we are going against a team that we know well.
“We know the style, the atmosphere, the environment and the tone the manager sets. Without spelling it out there is something we can get our teeth into, but the biggest issue will be our own performance and how we play.”