Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale says if his side wish to take all three points against Chesterfield then they will have to earn it.
The Spireites are currently bottom of the Sky Bet League Two table but have picked up impressive draws against the likes of Carlisle United and Swindon Town recently.
With that in mind, Tis says the Grecians will not be taking their opponents lightly going into Saturday’s match at the Proact Stadium.
He said: “I’m expecting a team that is in a poor position in the league that have had a change of manager and are showing signs of improvement. They’ve had two very good draws, 2-2 against Carlisle United and Swindon Town.”
The City manager knows too well that the league is a competitive one and insists his side will not be overconfident going into the match.
He continued: “I don’t want to get too confident about this one, you see it in League Two a lot, teams struggle and the manager changes, there is some clarity with some coaching points and the same set of players suddenly produce some results.
“We came on the wrong end of the Port Vale result (1-0 defeat for City) in similar circumstances. I’m expecting a tough game and if we are going to be successful then we have to earn it.
“There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance, but I’d like us to have strong belief in the focus of our play and the way we have decided to approach the game and to be confident in each other that we can carry out those directions.”
City go into the match following back-to-back wins over Heybridge Swifts, in the FA Cup, and Grimsby Town last weekend. The Grecians ran out 2-0 winners at St James Park over Russell Slade’s side and Tis wants his players to replicate a similar performance that saw them take victory with goals from Jayden Stockley and Liam McAlinden.
He said: “We were competent, we did our basics well throughout the whole game and the bits that stood out were off the back of those disciplines and simplicities and I want more of the same.
“Every game is different, with a new set of challenges, but we were very focused against Grimsby. The players played really well and stuck to it, so whatever comes, we need to be ready for it.”