Exeter manager Paul Tisdale said he was very proud of players after watching the Grecians pick up a deserved point at Accrington on Saturday. The Devon outfit matched League Two’s league-leaders and held firm under pressure despite missing centre-backs Jordan Moore-Taylor and Troy Brown.
After a cagey opening, City went ahead when through Jayden Stockley’s 21st goal of the season and the visitors could have doubled their advantage moments later, only for Matt Jay to see his volley tipped over. It was an enterprising opening from Exeter who refused to be overawed at the Crown Ground.
Accrington equalised before the break but the Grecians refused to take a step back in an open second-half. Although unable to seal a precious victory, City remain in the automatic promotion hunt – four points adrift of third – and will hope to reclaim ground on Tuesday night against rock-bottom Chesterfield.
Exeter have won seven of their past 10 games when welcoming bottom-six opposition to St James Park, whilst this season the Grecians have W11-D2-L1 when hosting clubs outside of the play-off positions. Indeed, Tisadale’s troops have W8-D1-L1 against bottom-half dwellers here.
Such excellent form makes the 1.94 available on Exeter overcoming a -0.50 Asian Handicap far too big to ignore.
Chesterfield are bidding to avoid back-to-back relegations but the Spireites prop up the Football League ladder and are now seven points from safety after a deeply disappointing derby defeat at home to Mansfield on Saturday.
Jack Lester’s men beat Notts County 3-1 in Derbyshire towards the end of the March to raise hopes but since they’ve picked up a solitary point against Morecambe and lost at relegation rivals Port Vale and Grimsby.
Striker Kristian Dennis has been one of very few bright spots in the Chesterfield campaign but with the guest losing without scoring in five of their six previous trips to the top-seven, even he may be starved of opportunities on Tuesday night.
The Spireites have taken three points from a possible 33 (W0-D3-L8) when travelling to the top-half and head into this encounter after losing 11 of their previous 16 away days, making it difficult to foresee a sudden shift in performance level.
