📝 Match Preview: Grimsby Town (H)

All you need to know ahead of Tuesday night's 7pm kick off

26 April 2021

With just three matches of the 20/21 season to go, the Grecians return to action at St James Park on Tuesday night to face rock bottom Grimsby Town who are fighting for their Football League status.

The Grecians will be buoyed by their heroics on Tuesday night when they fought to a 1-1 draw at Newport County, despite playing the whole second half with nine men due to Alex Hartridge and Ryan Bowman's red cards.

This does of course mean both players will be unavailable for the match, but Robbie Willmott is set for a return after sitting out in midweek due to his loan deal from the Welsh side.

Grimsby have had two week's rest since their last match, also at Newport, where they recorded a 1-0 defeat.

JOSH KEY'S THOUGHTS

Exeter City defender Josh Key has said that the Grecians are still full of belief that a strong end to the season could see the team take the final play-off spot.

"We really need to win this one, and Grimsby really need this one as they are fighting to stay up" said Josh. "So it will be a good game to watch and show support for. I think both teams will come out ready to go."

With a lot still to play for Josh emphasised that it means a lot to the whole squad to end on a high:

"Footballers wouldn't play football if they weren't competitive. It's a must win game and we are all really up for it. The lads are ready to go and we've trained well."

Grimsby need to win on Tuesday night to have any hope of avoiding the drop, and that could mean a more open match at St James Park.

"They have had some good results against the bigger teams and may back themselves, but I feel our best beats there best, I don't want to be disrespectful as they deserve credit but if we bring our best we should win, but they are fighting and it's a must win for them."

"Most people know that if we can get the ball down and start playing we are a good team. Hopefully it will be an open game where we can do the things we are better at."

You can watch Josh's full interview ⬇️

HOW TO WATCH

Sadly fans can't be at the match but you can get the next best thing by purchasing a match pass at the cost of just £10 in the UK. The stream includes Exeter City Club commentary score overlay and replays.

To purchase a match pass please click here.

MATCHDAY COVERAGE

As usual, we’ll have the match covered across our social media channels and we’ll have a post-match interview with manager Matt Taylor and a player as they reflect on the result.

Exeter City on social media

One To Watch

Jay Matete

Midfielder Matete joined the Mariners on loan from League One side Fleetwood Town and has been ever present in the Grimsby side.

The 19-year-old had made 13 appearances in all competitions for Fleetwood prior to joining the Mariners, including seven league appearances, and had drawn praise from former manager Joey Barton for his performances.

The energetic midfielder has chipped in with two crucial goals in the last couple of weeks in wins over Bolton and Oldham as the Mariners look to avoid relegation.

GRIMSBY TOWN'S LAST MATCH

Oldham Athletic 1 Grimsby Town 2 | 24/04/21 | Sky Bet League Two

Grimsby Town keep themseleves in with a chance of staying up after a comeback victory away at Oldham. Conor McAleny opened the scoring for Oldham on half hour, but they were back on level terms within six minutes as Matt Green made it 1-1.

Jay Matete scored with 10 minutes to go to complete the turnaround and seal three priceless points.

PREVIOUS ENCOUNTER

Grimsby 1-4 Exeter City | December 1, 2020

Matt Jay stood out with two goals in a ruthless away victory, whilst Randell Williams and Ryan Bowman also found the target.

Head to Head

Tuesday will be the 39th fixture between Exeter City and Grimsby Town. Out of the nine draws shared, five of them have finished 0-0. There have been 104 goals distributed but only nine in the last five games.

City are unbeaten in their last five visits to Blundell Park stretching back to 1991, stretching that run with a 4-1 victory earlier on this season.

Exeter wins: 15
Draws: 9
Grimsby wins: 15

Match Reports

📝 Match Report: City 3 Grimsby Town 2

Huge three points for the Grecians

27 April 2021

Exeter City bounced back against Grimsby Town at St James Park to win 3-2 and keep their play-off hopes alive with two games remaining.

After going in 1-1 at the break and down 2-1 in the second half, the Grecians bounced back thanks to goals from Ryan Bowman and Alex Fisher.

Exeter City Manager Matt Taylor named five changes from the side that kept Newport to a 0-0 draw at the weekend with Bowman and Matt Jay dropping down to the bench, making way for Ben Seymour to have another chance in the starting line-up.

It was an early break from City as they looked to get back to scoring ways and ahead from the off. Seymour found Randell Williams in space down the wing, allowing a cross to be fired, but it came to nothing. A bright start for the home side.

After the initial threat of City, it was the visitors who managed to get some balls in the box, forcing the Grecians back to defend. One of their crosses in made its way out for a corner, which was brilliantly headed away by Williams.

At 16 minutes Page found Taylor, who overlapped well and gained the ball back, sending the ball on a scuffed half volley and into the hands of the goalkeeper.

Another chance for the Grecians came minutes later as Josh Key got a cross in minutes later, with Ben Seymour able to connect a glancing header leaving it for the goalkeeper McKeown to tip it over the bar

Some lovely play amongst the forward players resulted in another shot for the Grecians starting with a great ball over the top from Josh Key. The long ball found Seymour, who laid it off to Randell Williams and on through to Robbie Willmott out on the wing, who fired it over the bar.

After the glory of the chances of the first half, Exeter finally brought themselves ahead with a little help from the visitors as Luke Waterfall got a miss touch on Williams’ cross and send it into the back of his own net.

It didn’t take too long for the hosts to get themselves level, as Lennell John-Lewis converts from the spot, sending goalkeeper Jokull Andresson the wrong way. The penalty was given against Lewis Page for bringing one of the Mariners down in the box and awarding them a welcome chance to get back in the game.

It could have been two for the visitors just before the break as Matt Green shot a stunner with Jokull able to stretch himself across goal and deny the Mariners getting themselves in front.

Ten minutes into the first half and there were penalty shouts as Seymour connects once again on the end of the ball in the box, sending a header towards goal, striking a hand in the process. However, nothing was given, and the game continued.

The visitors got themselves ahead just before the hour mark, with a long range shot from Jay Matete. Despite Jokull Andresson getting a hand to it, the young Icelander was unable to keep it out.

The Grecians made their first substitute just after the goal, with Nigel Atangana making his way for Matt Jay.

There was more action in the minutes after the hour mark, with a break in play after a high footed challenge on Archie Collins which saw the young Grecian needing some treatment. Mariners goal scorer Matete was given his marching orders after the dangerous challenge, with uproar coming from both the Grimsby bench and players on the pitch. The hosts were down to ten men with half an hour to play.

Taylor made more changes moments later, with a triple sub seeing Fisher, Bowman and Hartridge take the field in place of Willmott, Seymour and Page.

With an extra man on the field, the Grecians looked the greater threat- with much of the play taking place in the opposition half. The visitors took full advantage of the chances to slow the play, in order to retain their lead.

The Grecians struggled to get their clear chances as the Grimsby sat back to retain their lead but their opportunity eventually came at 84 minutes, with substitute AFisher hitting on the half volley, sending the ball into a goalmouth scuffle and into the back of the net.

It was moments later that the Grecians got themselves ahead again, with Sweeney whipping in an exquisite cross into the box, finding Bowman in the box and leaving him to smash it in the back of the net. Much to the joy of the handful of ECFC personnel in the ground who brought a bit of the big bank magic to SJP once again.

However, the joy was short lived as the fourth official showed six minutes added time to retain their lead. Fortunately, despite two set pieces in the Exeter half, with even the goalkeeper getting up amongst it, and an early celebration from myself thinking the game was over before it was. It all three points for the Grecians.

The drama wasn’t even over after the final whistle, with the Grimsby assistant manager being shown a red for an altercation with the referee.

Exeter City are back in Sky Bet League Two Action this weekend as they face Bolton in a 3 o’clock kick off.

Owing to the club’s support for the EFL social media boycott, match coverage of this game will be exclusively on the club website.

Exeter City: Andresson, Key, Parkes (Sparkes 72’), Sweeney, Page (Hartridge 65’), Williams, Collins, Taylor ©, Atangana (Jay 60’), Willmott (Fisher 64’), Seymour (Bowman 64’)

Subs not used: Maxted, Caprice,

Booked: Collins

Grimsby Town: McKeown, Hewitt, Waterfall (Jackson Jr 90+2), Menayese, Clifton, Khouri, Matete, Spokes (Scannell 90+1), Coke, John-Lewis ©, Green (Habergham 70’)

Subs not used: Eastwood, Lamy, Adlard,

Booked: Menayese

Sent Off: Matete