Preview: Exeter City vs Barnsley - prediction, team news, lineups

An important game at both ends of the League One table will take place at St James Park on Saturday, as Barnsley visit Exeter City.

The hosts sit two points adrift of safety, while their visitors trail the playoff spots by four points.

Match preview

Exeter City head into the weekend in search of a return to winning ways to climb out of the League One relegation zone.

After a 16th-placed finish last time around, the Grecians currently find themselves 22nd in England's third tier having managed just 20 points from their first 19 outings.

Their troubles have come in attack, with only two sides netting fewer than their 18 goals, while only three teams boast a better defensive record than Gary Caldwell's side, who have allowed just 20 goals.

After a crucial 1-0 home win over AFC Wimbledon earlier in December, the Grecians faced a trip to Bolton Wanderers on Saturday and fell short in a 2-1 loss, despite leading through Jack Aitchison until the 70th minute, as Sam Dalby levelled the scores and Thierry Gale netted an 82nd-minute winner for the hosts.

Now sitting two points adrift of safety as a result, Exeter City will hope to make it consecutive home triumphs on Saturday with a chance to escape the bottom four.

They face a tough test, though, as the visitors arrive in search of back-to-back wins in their bid to crash the playoff spots.

Barnsley's first season under the permanent management of Conor Hourihane has been a positive one thus far, earning 28 points from their first 17 outings - the fewest of games played of any team in the division.

Despite their fewer outings, the Reds boast the league's fourth best attacking record at this stage, scoring 30 goals in those 17 games.

After a 3-1 away loss to Lincoln City, Hourihane's men most recently hosted Leyton Orient on Saturday and took all three points from an eventful contest, leading through Reyes Cleary and falling 2-1 down, before Jon Russell equalised in the 77th minute and Davis Keillor-Dunn sealed a 3-2 win five minutes from time.

Now sitting eighth and four points outside of the playoff spots, with one game in hand on fifth-placed Stevenage and at least two in hand on every other top-half team, Barnsley will hope to move within touching distance of the top six with another triumph on Saturday.

Exeter City League One form:

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Exeter City form (all competitions):

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Barnsley League One form:

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Barnsley form (all competitions):

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Team News

Exeter City will likely remain without Danny Andrew, Ryan Rydel and Carlos Mendes Gomes, as they are confined to the treatment room.

Jack Aitchison will continue in the attack against his former club after getting on the scoresheet last weekend, while Jayden Wareham will hope to return in place of either Sonny Cox or Josh Magennis.

Pierce Sweeney, Luca Woodhouse and Sil Swinkels should continue in a back three in front of Crystal Palace loanee Joe Whitworth.

Barnsley are again unable to call on full-backs Nathanael Ogbeta and Georgie Gent due to injuries.

Davis Keillor-Dunn will lead their attack as League One's joint-top scorer, having moved onto 10 for the season in 17 third-tier games last weekend.

Adam Phillips may join Reyes Cleary and Vimal Yoganathan in support of the front man, with Luca Connell returning to the midfield after a suspension.

Exeter City possible starting lineup:

Whitworth; Sweeney, Woodhouse, Swinkels; Niskanen, Brierley, Doyle-Hayles, McMillan; Aitchison, Magennis, Wareham

Barnsley possible starting lineup:

Cooper; Bland, De Gevigney, Shepherd, Watson; Connell, Kelly; Yoganathan, Phillips, Cleary; Keillor-Dunn

We say: Exeter City 1-2 Barnsley

On the back of a home victory and a valiant effort away at Bolton, Exeter City should make it tough for Barnsley, but we see the confident visitors making their quality count and continuing their climb to the top six.

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