Exeter City FC

Exeter City will travel to Salford City on Saturday looking for their third straight win in Sky Bet League Two.

The Grecians sit second in the table, three points behind league leaders Swindon Town, and manager Matt Taylor is pleased with the form his team are in despite a disappointing midweek exit in an Emirates' FA Cup second round replay with Hartlepool United.

“We go there in relatively good form, on the back of a disappointment of Tuesday night and a gruelling 120 minutes, but generally our league form has been pretty strong,” he said. “We got there with a bit of confidence behind us. I thought it was a fantastic game against Northampton last weekend, and we are going to try and replicate that this weekend.

"We are quite strong away from home. We had a sticky patch a few weeks ago, but generally we have been quite strong. Whoever comes out on top will play the best football and take their moments.”

The Grecian will be without Jack Sparkes though, after he serves a one-match suspension for getting sent-off away at Hartlepool. Added to the fact that Craig Woodman, who has also filled that left-wing back role this season, is out having undergone an operation, it does leave Matt with a selection issue in that area.

“It is an issue, but that is part and parcel of football,” he said. “Jack’s suspension probably comes at a difficult time with Craig needing an operation. That is the way football goes sometimes, but we have no excuses going into the weekend. We have got more than enough good players who can cover that position.

“They (Salford) have got players of a certain calibre, who have played high up the pecking order in terms of a certain standard, but we have got some good players ourselves.

"We have got to be right, our mindset has got to be right whenever you go away from home. I always say it, but you have got to be mentally and physically tough to start with. You have got to earn the right to play. We hope it is going to be a good pitch and a good day for football and then, like I say, it is whoever performs well on the day.”

City are expected to take around 600 fans to the Peninsula Stadium on Saturday, and Matt hopes they’ll be in good voice for the trip.

“I have been told about the ticket sales and there have been a lot of a people asking for tickets as well, maybe it is the class of 92, maybe it is that it is a new ground that they have not been to or just an opportunity away for a weekend in Manchester,” he said.

“It is a game that certainly seems to have grabbed our fans’ attention and it is one that we are looking forward to because as, like you said, it is our first meeting, and it is going to be a good game of football as well. We are going to go there, give it our best and hopefully be backed by a big following of away fans, who will be in good voice.”