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Archived News from January 2014

EXETER WEATHER UPDATE / MOORE ON INJURIES
4th January 2014 10:51


Weather update: Mansfield (Sat 9.30am)
09:37 4th January 2014

As of 9.30am on Saturday morning, the St James Park pitch is in good condition and clear of surface water, and the match against Mansfield looks set to go ahead as planned.

Read more at http://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/news/article/weather-update-exeter-v-mansfield-1272598.aspx#a6XpdF5tqFk93jfh.99

The ground staff are continuing to work hard to ensure that the pitch maintains its condition until 3pm, but presently there are no major concerns over the likelihood of the fixture going ahead.

So come down to SJP for the 3pm kick-off and belatedly cheer the Grecians into the New Year! And as always, stay safe in the wet weather.

We will provide further updates where necessary, and in particular if the referee decides to call a pitch inspection.

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3rd January 2014

Micky Moore, from the team hotel at Exeter on Friday at 6pm, spoke to Mansfield 103.2 Friday Night Forum:

The pitch at Exeter looks very wet. Will be touch and go with the weather forecast. If the game goes ahead, the pitch will be very heavy.
On the injury front: Martin Riley and Jamie McGuire hopefully could both be back for the Scunthorpe game. Ben Hutchinson should be back by mid to end January. Sam Clucas should be back by mid February.


Micky Moore, from the team hotel at Exeter on Friday at 6.15pm, spoke to BBC Radio Nottingham, about possible signings:

The gaffer is speaking to one or two and you think you're close and then you lose out. And then something that might not happen all of a sudden might happen. But I know the gaffer is working tirelessly to try and strengthen the squad and bring in one or two players that will help the current squad.

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Weather update: Exeter v Mansfield
exetercityfc.co.uk, 10:53am 3rd January 2014

City supporters based in Exeter will no doubt be aware of the poor weather that began again on Friday morning.

Read more at http://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/news/article/weather-update-exeter-v-mansfield-1272598.aspx?#W92tqrfRVVERbgFz.99

However, the forecast remains changeable and supporters must appreciate that no definitive decisions are likely to be taken until Saturday morning. We remain optimistic of hosting the match and the groundstaff are putting in their usual hard work to ensure this happens.

Wherever you are travelling from to get to St James Park, be sure to be safe in the conditions.

Please keep abreast of our social media channels for any breaking news.
Twitter: twitter.com/OfficialECFC
Facebook: facebook.com/exetercityfc

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twitter

chris clements ‏@clemmo14 (2.50pm)
Just arrived at the hotel...didn't take long, only left at half 9 this morning

Martin Riley ‏@LifeofRiley6
@clemmo14 surely its gonna be off tomoz?

chris clements ‏@clemmo14
@LifeofRiley6 well weathers not too good down here....wind is ridiculous but on at the moment

James Jennings ‏@JamesJennings03
Long journey down to Exeter... Just got here & left at 8.30! to make it worse the coach was like a sauna

chris clements ‏@clemmo14
@Robbo68 guessing that's when he left his house...we left ground at half 9

Alan Marriott ‏@Mazza_78
I'll be raging if this gets called off tomorrow now!! We're here so let's get it on!!!

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Exeter City hope missed opportunity will play on Mansfield minds
By Western Morning News, Posted: January 03, 2014

By Stuart James

Read more: http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Exeter-City-hope-missed-opportunity-play/story-20397815-detail/story.html#ixzz2pQ7hRGB7

If things had worked out differently, then the players and management of Exeter City could have had another afternoon off this Saturday. But Mansfield Town’s failure to beat Oldham Athletic in an FA Cup second-round replay means, instead of a money-spinning jaunt to Anfield to tackle Liverpool, it is merely the bread and butter of League Two and a trip to St James’ Park for the Stags this weekend.

That was the prize awaiting them when the third-round draw for the FA Cup was made a little under a month ago, but Lee Johnson’s Oldham turned on the style in the replay to win 4-1 at Field Mill and end the Stags’ hopes of a lucrative cup tie.

City will be hoping the “what if” scenario will be occupying the minds of their visitors, who arrive in Devon having won only two of their last 19 league and cup encounters.

It is a far cry from early in the campaign, when five wins and three draws saw the Stags among the front-runners ten games into the season.

However, their immediate form is not so bad and they come to the drenched Westcountry having beaten Cheltenham Town in their last away trip and drawn 0-0 with promotion-chasing Burton Albion last time out.

They are a team who cannot be taken lightly, especially as manager Paul Cox is desperate for the points, stating his team are in a relegation scrap.

“I said after the Accrington Stanley game that we’re in a relegation battle and that is the only way you can sum things up,” said Cox.

“The thing that does me is that this is the same group of players that lost two of their first 13 matches at the beginning of the season and were in the top three.

“I’ve had a good chat with the boys in the dressing room and we’ve all got one or two things off our chest, both myself and the players.

“When confidence is low and people seem to be losing their heads, you look for mental strength in people and I’ve been trying to get across to the boys that this isn’t going to go away.”

That mental strength generally comes in the shape of experience, which is something Exeter suddenly find that they are lacking in one or two areas.

Tisdale’s decision to go with the youngsters in his squad and introduce them gradually is now in full swing, with no fewer than eight on the field aged 24 or under when the full-time whistle blew in their last match, a 3-1 win at Torquay United. They are a young group learning fast and Tisdale is enjoying the ride.

“I’m really loving it, I’m enjoying our opportunity to put a new team together and a new story, but we need wins along the way to keep us going in the right direction. It allows us the confidence to keep going,” Tisdale said.

“You looked across the pitch and there were very few players who we have not put a lot of effort into.

“They will learn a lot from that experience. They will have learned how to stay in a game when they are getting battered.

“They will have learned it is not the end of the world, you have just got to stick with it.”

One player Tisdale has certainly stuck with is Tom Nichols, who has had a sensational return to the side.

The 20-year-old has impressed throughout Exeter’s Premier League Under-21 Cup campaign, and is now transferring that form to the first team. He has scored four goals in his past five matches, but it is his all-round game that is so pleasing for Tisdale.

“Tom had a poor year last year, but the penny has dropped now and he is another one who is coming through. He has still only played a handful of games, though. He still hasn’t got to double figures in terms of starts for the club so there is a long way to go for him, but he is getting there,” the City boss said.

Exeter City (from): Krysiak, Pym; Butterfield, Woodman, Bennett, Baldwin, Sercombe, Oakley, Gow, Davies, Parkin, Doherty, Moore-Taylor, Dawson, O’Flynn, Reid, Nichols, Gosling, Keohane, Wannell, Jagger-Cane, Parkin, Tillson, Chamberlain, Grimes, Jay, Wheeler.

Unavailable: Oakley, Coles, Gill (injured), Bergqvist (on loan to Welling United).

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