Next Up: Cambridge United vs Exeter City
City’s midweek heroes will be keen to build on the plaudits earned for taking high-flying Nottingham Forest to penalties in the FA Cup on Tuesday night as Gary Caldwell’s men embark on a long trip for an early kick off on Saturday. Caldwell was keen to emphasise that Tuesday night’s heroics will mean nothing if they can’t perform to that level going into the business end of the league season – inspiration should be taken from that lot down the A38, who followed up their win over Liverpool’s U15 B team with a 5-1 league win over Millwall on Wednesday night. There will be some tired legs in the camp, although at least City’s opponents were also in action on Tuesday night, while Caldwell will be able to freshen things up with the return of several cup-tied players, although Ed Turns will miss three matches thanks to his debut red card that marred an otherwise assured debut. Reece Cole made a welcome return from his long injury layoff, while Sonny Cox should also be available.
While City were the toast of the nation on Tuesday night, Cambridge faced arguably the most difficult fixture in League One, going down 4-0 at Birmingham to be three points adrift at the bottom with one win in 2025 over free-falling Mansfield. The Us had recorded notable draws in their previous two matches against Lincoln and Wycombe, but seven points adrift with 16 games remaining it will be a mammoth task for Garry Monk to keep Cambridge in the division. Monk was relatively busy in January with one permanent and three loan signings, although two are goalkeepers while the other two – Esapa Osong and Dom Ballard, are forwards who faced City early in the season while on loan at Rotherham and Blackpool respectively. The lack of a regular scorer has harmed Cambridge, hence the attacking reinforcements, with Elias Kachunga leading the way with six.
City emerged victorious in the reverse fixture, a rare Ryan Woods goal sealing a 1-0 win. Cambridge secured an early Christmas present in this fixture last season, winning a poor game 2-0 through a penalty from Ahadme in the first half before Kachunga sealed the points late on to continue City’s wretched winless run that would finally end four days later. City’s win closed the league head to head gap to 25-26, with 12 matches finishing level.
The match officials for this game will be:_
Referee: Carl Brook
Assistant Referees: Damith Bandara and Jonathon Block
Fourth Official: Paul Howard
Carl Brook refereed the City match away at Northampton in August which Exeter lost 2-0. So far this season he’s taken charge of 25 games, issuing 110 yellows and sending off 2 players.
Interview with Gary Caldwell
Interview with Ed Francis