Preview: Exeter City vs Doncaster Rovers - prediction, team news, lineups

Aiming to end a winless start to life back under Matt Taylor and begin a climb out of the League One relegation zone, Exeter City will welcome Doncaster Rovers to St James Park on Monday.

A loss on Friday leaves the hosts 21st and three points adrift of safety, while the visitors are seven points better off after their own Good Friday defeat.

Match preview

Exeter City complete their Easter Weekend at St James Park on Monday in need of an important three-point haul in their League One survival bid.

After overseeing an upturn in form between mid-December and late January, Gary Caldwell departed for Wigan Athletic in mid-February, leaving them in a relatively healthy mid-table spot on 39 points from 30 games.

The return of popular former Manager Matt Taylor did not inspire another climb to guaranteed safety, though, with his first seven games back at the helm producing two points, meaning they headed into the Easter double-header in the drop zone on the back of five straight defeats and a goalless stalemate against Leyton Orient.

A tough trip to resurgent fellow strugglers Blackpool then followed last time out in a true six-pointer, and Taylor's men suffered another harmful defeat, as Tom Bloxham scored the only goal of the game in the first half to send them home empty-handed.

Now finding themselves 21st and three points adrift of safety with just five games remaining, Exeter City will be desperate to end their winless run on Monday and begin a climb out of the bottom four before they run out of time.

Their visitors, meanwhile, head south in search a return to winning ways to strengthen their improved survival bid after a setback on Friday.

After finding themselves in a concerning position at the bottom end of the division around the halfway stage, Doncaster Rovers gave their hopes of a second straight season in League One a major boost with an upturn in form in 2026, culminating in a five-game unbeaten streak including three wins heading into the Easter weekend to move onto 50 points from 39 games with a healthy lead above the bottom three.

A meeting with Mansfield Town then followed on Friday, but Grant McCann's side failed to extend their hot streak and move all but out of reach of the bottom four, succumbing to a 2-0 defeat as Rhys Oates and Jon Russell scored second-half goals for the visitors.

Now sitting 17th, and still leading the hosts in the bottom four by seven points with six games left to play, Doncaster Rovers will look to bounce back to winning ways on Monday to all but guarantee a safe finish.

Exeter City League One form:

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Doncaster Rovers League One form:

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Team News

Exeter City are unable to call on first-choice goalkeeper Joe Whitworth, who remains confined to the treatment room alongside Jack Fitzwater, Jake Doyle-Hayes and Ed Turns.

Star man Jayden Wareham will lead the line in a bid to end his six-match drought, having managed 16 league goals this term.

Kyle Magennis may come in to join him up front, while Ilmari Niskanen offers support from the wing with 10 League One assists to his name this term.

Doncaster Rovers are still without Sean Grehan, Tom Nixon, Billy Sharp and Francis Okoronkwo due to ongoing injuries.

Luke Molyneux was fit to feature from the start on Friday after his own injury setback, though, and he should continue in a supporting role having managed eight goals and seven assists in the league this term.

Captain Owen Bailey is also bound to continue behind a striker, with 12 league goals to his name from midfield this term, while there is competition for the other places with Brandon Hanlan, Elliot Lee, Hakeeb Adelakun, Glenn Middleton, Harry Clifton and Jordan Gibson left to fight for two or three spots.

Exeter City possible starting lineup:

Bycroft; Sweeney, Woodhouse, Andrew, McMillan; Cole, Cummins; Niskanen, Aitchison; Magennis, Wareham

Doncaster Rovers possible starting lineup:

Lo-Tutala; Sterry, Byrne, Pearson, Senior; Gotts; Molyneux, Bailey, Clifton, Gibson; Lee

We say: Exeter City 1-2 Doncaster Rovers

While Doncaster Rovers suffered a setback on Friday, they head to an Exeter City team devoid of confidence and we back the visitors to return to winning ways with their superior quality.

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