Exeter City manager Matt Taylor says there is a buzz about the club at the moment and he is hoping the players can reward the fans who make the long journey to Grimsby Town on Saturday with a positive performance.
City are unbeaten in their last nine games in all competitions and are due to open the new Stagecoach Adam Stansfield Stand at their next home game against Forest Green Rovers on October 27. However, before then they face trips to Grimsby Town, this weekend, and Crawley Town on Tuesday.
It means the fans, who have been turning out in great numbers at St James Park this season, will cover plenty of miles this week in support of the Grecians. Matt is hopeful the players can put on a performance to match that effort.
“It is such a long distance and such a long commitment and the fans do it week in, week out,” he said. “They have always done it ever since I have been at Exeter. The away supporters have been absolutely fantastic and to get 4,500 at the home game last Saturday was absolutely superb.
“There is a good buzz around the place at the moment. Hopefully, that will continue with the new stand. That is next week though and we have got to look to this Saturday first and the fans making the trip to Grimsby have got to see a certain type of performance where we have got to be resilient, strong and good in terms of our physical presence against a team who have just won their last two games.”
Those types of performances have been coming from City pretty regularly during the past two months, with only the 2-2 draw away at Yeovil Town in early October dipping below the standard required by the City manager in the last nine games.
“Generally, if you perform well you get the results you deserve,” said Matt. “We didn’t get that at Port Vale (when City drew 1-1) and we were frustrated by that and I vented my frustration after the Yeovil game in terms of the performance because it wasn’t quite what we wanted.
“However, last Saturday, I thought against a good Swindon Town, it was the most complete team performance that we have had.”
Speaking about Grimsby Town, who sit 21st in the table despite having won their last two games, Matt added: “They (Grimsby) had a poor run of games and then they have won their last two and they will be fresh on the back of not playing last weekend.
“However, we have the same discussion every week in terms of our preparation, in terms of the opposition and the way they are going to play, but ultimately we have got to concentrate on ourselves and if we do that and get our performance right then we will give ourselves a chance. It is going to be a great game of football, on a big pitch. Hopefully, the conditions – in terms of the weather and the playing surface – should help us to some degree but they will be right up for it on the back of a two of wins and back on their home place.”
In terms of injuries, Matt will be without Chiedozie Ogbene for the game. The Brentford loanee has returned to his parent club having suffered an ankle injury in the win over Swindon. The X-ray has confirmed that there is no fracture though so it is hoped he’ll be back sooner than first feared. Craig Woodman (calf) could be in line for a return having played 60 minutes of a reserve fixture against Cheltenham Town on Tuesday, while Jimmy Oates (hamstring) is fit enough to travel but probably won’t make the matchday squad this Saturday.