Birmingham City make a swift return to action this evening and have an opportunity to make amends for Saturday's sub-par display at Shrewsbury Town.
Blues were beaten 3-2 at the Croud Meadow and turned in a display that displeased Chris Davies so much he ended up apologising to supporters. It is unlikely he will have been quite as conciliatory with his players.
That under-performance, combined with the fact Blues are at the start of the busiest period of their schedule means Davies could be tempted to rotate for this evening's clash with Exeter City.
Blues will be playing at St James Park for the first time since 1999 and a venue at which they have not lost in 32 years. On a personal note Jay Stansfield won't want to sacrifice his place against the team whose academy he came through and where his father is a club legend.
Brian Dick will be in the pressbox at St James Park bringing you all the build up, breaking team news an hour before kick-off, match updates and reaction.
Key Events
FT: Exeter 0 Blues 2
That's it, three points and back on track. Ratings to follow - as Chris Davies does his fist pumps in front of the travelling fans. Stansfield does not seem keen!
Exeter 0 Blues 2
Hammered it past Whitworth who went the wrong way. A muted celebration from the youngster.
Blues sub
Alfie May goes off replaced by Lyndon Dykes. Stansfield stays left.
Magennis has just had a quarter-chance, a downward header at the back post. It sat up nicely for Allsop but are we seeing something of an Exeter surge? Hope not.
Good move
Anderson and Willumsson combine on the left, the latter lifts the ball into the middle and Stansfield meets the ball with his head but his effort is headed away by Sweeney.
There's a bit of needle in this match now, how the referee isn't dishing out cards here is beyond me. There's so many snidey little afters.
Positive Exeter
Have to say this isn't a low block and just watch and wait performance. Exeter's defensive line is up to halfway at times. There's definitely space in behind. Yokoyama anyone?
Once again Blues have been on top but their delivery has not been good this half. The other noteworthy thing is the amount of free kicks the home side are giving away. Surely there's got to be a yellow soon.
As I write that Exeter counter and Bielik shoves over Harper - sees yellow immediately,
Good banter
Whitworth getting stick from the away fans as Willumsson lines up a free kick.
'He's taller than you, he's taller than you, Alfie May, he's taller than you'
Good work.
Second half
Here we go again, no changes for either side. It's absolutely lashing down now.
We're back where we so often are this season, Blues leading, dominating the ball, needing a second goal, Hopefully it'lll come this evening.
Away we go.
HT: Exeter 0 Blues 1
That's the half, much better from Blues. Iwata has scored again, Thor should have. Exeter have had a couple of corners but that's it.
They are going to need a second goal.
Nearly a second
Good combination down the left see Cochrane slide Paik down the side. His low pull back finds Anderson who sends a shot in but it's well-saved by Whitworth.
Five to go
Blues are back in control, moving the ball side to side, as we've seen so often this season, without really breaking anything down.
Suddenly Exeter break and Davies, who hasn't had too much to do, is booked for pulling back a home player. No protests from Blues there.
Exeter really are limited, they are there for the taking.
Blues pressing
Cochrane put ball in low from left, Stansfield took a touch, turned but prodded a low shot that skidded wide of the near post.
Then Paik retrieves the ball after Klarer’s header goes across goal and out the back of the area. He curled into Willumsson who escaped his defender but once again headed wide.
Blues need a second - and are creating chances to take it.
Exeter foothold
Blues' ball retention hasn't been brilliant. They are trying to move it with pace, now they need to concentrate on the accuracy. They're giving it away quite a lot.
The hosts are having a few moments, have put three or four balls into the box and are asking a few questions.
Ryan Woods is delivering the set-pieces for Exeter and doing so against a backdrop of catcalls from the Blues fans.
Clear pkan
Bielik as a right back seemed an interesting selection but it's become obvious why in the last few minutes. Davies clearly wants some aerial prowess on the field as Exeter win a couple of free kicks and put the ball into the box. A Blue head has won every first contract so far. He doesn't look massively comfortable up against Vincent Harper but he is winning his aerial duels and doing OK when Harper goes at him.
Exeter 0 Blues 1
Good start
Goalkeeper Whitworth gave the ball away to Anderson near the penalty area. The winger found Willumsson who then gave it to May but by the time he’d taken a touch and shot Pierce Sweeney blocked it.
Bielik’s first defensive contribution is an important sliding tackle on Vincent Harper.
Set up
Looks like the normal 4-2-3-1 - with Bielik at right back and May as the striker. Stansfield is on the left, Willumsson in the middle and Anderson on the right.
Stansfield reception
Obviously Jay is in the Blues team tonight - and back at the club where he came through and returned on loan after joining Fulham.
Also his dad Adam is something of a club hero who helped the Grecians return to League One before passing away in the prime of his career. Adam has a stand named in his honour at St James Park - Jay is still very well thought of.
His name was read out and he got a warm round of applause from Exeter fans.
Selection reflection
Davies' selection - of three centre backs and no obvious right back, has set tongues wagging.
It'll either be a back three with Anderson as a wing back, or one of Bielik or Klarer playing as a right full back.
It's certainly bold from Chris Davies.
Many fans are saying they don't mind the defensive configuration, they just want to see Alfie May play as the striker.
Sardines
Absolutely rammed in the SJP press box, just as well I'm only 5ft 6ins tall with little legs.
The Blues fans are stood away to my left, with some sat in this stand.
It's pouring down as well and we're expecting motorway closures on the way back.
Anyway, enough moaning, three points and the journey will fly by.
The scene
Exeter City away with #bcfc pic.twitter.com/zWYn4gqA2b
— Brian Dick (@briandick) November 26, 2024
Two changes
Blues are playing at St James Park for the first time since 1999 – and looking for a first win in four league matches after draws with Mansfield and Northampton and Saturday’s upset at Shrewsbury.
To that end he has handed Alfie May a recall after he dropped to the bench at the Croud Meadow. Ben Davies is also back in the side in what looks like a reshuffled defence, with Ethan Laird dropping out.
Caldwell calling
Exeter City boss Gary Caldwell believes that if Birmingham City played Shrewsbury Town 10 times on the spin, based on what he saw and the patterns of play from Saturday's game, Blues would win on at least nine occasions. Blues require a response when they head to St James Park tonight for their rearranged fixture - the second of three road trips this week, with Blackpool to come at the weekend.
Caldwell has watched video of the game on Saturday, which Blues lost 3-2 - only their second defeat of the campaign but their third game in the league without a win - and has determined that everything fell into place on the day for Shrewsbury, who were benefitting from the injection of enthusiasm courtesy of new manager Gareth Ainsworth.
The Scot, whose brother Steven played for Blues between 2011 and 2013, claimed they would be kicking themselves for not doing enough to win the game on the day and doesn't believe the final result was necessarily a true reflection of how the game panned out.
“New manager bounce without a doubt, but a fantastic result for Gareth Ainsworth and for Shrewsbury,” Caldwell told DevonLive, “but I always look at games and think if that game was played 10 times, Shrewsbury would be lucky to win one.
“They got it right on the day - their energy levels, how they shut them down had that manager bounce effect. They scored from set pieces, they scored from counter attacks, so every opportunity they had they scored. It was one of those games. I think when you analyse it as a coach and you see what Birmingham do, they’ll be kicking themselves.”
May Day
Exeter City have kept a clean sheet in four of their last five home league matches, and have conceded more than twice in just one of 45 home league games under Gary Caldwell.
Way back when
This is the first league meeting between Exeter City and Birmingham City since March 1992 with two former England internationals managing each team – Exeter’s Alan Ball beating former teammate Terry Cooper who was Blues manager.
Terry's son Mar ended up playing for both the Grecians and Blues.
Good evening
And welcome to St James Park where Blues face Exeter City for the first time since 1999 - and just three days after they lost to the worst team in League One.
Brian Dick is reporting this evening's match so stay tuned and you won't miss a thing.
Team news will be at 6:45pm, kick-off an hour later and Blues will hope to take three points back up the M5 and reassert their control of the promotion race.
