Preview: Exeter City vs. Bolton Wanderers - prediction, team news, lineups

The visitors clung on to the second automatic promotion spot in the table in midweek by drawing 2-2 away to Barnsley.

Match preview

Exeter were beaten for the third time in their last four games away to Peterborough United last time out, with Gary Caldwell's side defeated 2-1 by the promotion contenders at London Road Stadium.

Ephron Mason-Clark and Tom Carroll had exchanged strikes in the first half, but Posh dominated the encounter throughout, and found their deserved winner when Kwame Poku scored with a little more than 20 minutes remaining on the clock.

Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Carroll's effort was Exeter's only shot on target throughout the course of the match, highlighting Exeter's struggles in front of goal this season. No team has scored fewer goals than them in League One, while only Shrewsbury Town and rock-bottom Carlisle United possess inferior goal differences.

As such, it is little surprise that the Grecians are still fighting against relegation, which marks a downturn from their comfortable survival last season. However, Caldwell's side will head into the weekend's action six points clear of the relegation zone, so they are in a relatively healthy position whether they can cause an upset against Bolton or not.

Likewise, Bolton remain on course to return to the Championship for the first time since being relegated in the 2018-19 campaign, with Ian Evatt's side building on their playoff semi-final appearance last season.

Of course, the Trotters were defeated by Barnsley across two legs at that stage last season, and the two sides met once again on Tuesday evening. Barnsley headed into the encounter three points behind Bolton with a game in hand and superior goal difference, meaning victory would have seen the Tykes leapfrog Bolton into second place.

John McAtee and Donovan Pines struck either side of half-time to provide the hosts with a comfortable two-goal cushion at Oakwell, but Victor Adeboyejo halved the deficit two minutes after the hour mark. Bolton pushed hard for a crucial equaliser, and eventually found one when Randell Williams struck in the eighth minute of injury time to send the travelling fans into delirium.

With tricky fixtures against the other five teams occupying top seven positions prior to this weekend's action - Oxford United, Derby County, Stevenage, Portsmouth and - still to come between now and the end of the season, Evatt may feel that his side can not afford to drop points against teams like Exeter if they are to avoid competing in the playoffs once again.

Exeter City League One form:

W

W

L

L

D

L

Bolton Wanderers League One form:

D

W

L

L

W

D

Team News

Exeter are expected to remain without midfielders Gabe Billington and Demetri Mitchell for the rest of the season. Billington is sidelined by a broken ankle, while Mitchell is undertaking rehabilitation for his cruciate ligament injury.

Caldwell only used Mohamed Eisa and Yanic Wildschut from the substitutes' bench during his side's defeat against Peterborough, and he may turn to Eisa from the start in an attempt to make the hosts more potent offensively.

Bolton, meanwhile, could welcome their top goalscorer Dion Charles back to their matchday squad. The 28-year-old has returned to full training in recent days, and was close to being involved against Barnsley in midweek.

However, George Johnston is a long-term absentee with a more serious knee injury.

Exeter City possible starting lineup:

Sinisalo; Aimson, Sweeney, Purrington, Jules; Niskanen, Woods, Carroll, Harper; Harris, Eisa

Bolton Wanderers possible starting lineup:

Coleman; Jones, Santos, Toal; Cogley, Thomason, Sheehan, Dempsey, Ogbeta; Adeboyejo, Collins

We say: Exeter City 1-2 Bolton Wanderers

Exeter have only picked up one point from their last four games, and things are unlikely to get any easier for them against one of the strongest teams in the division on Saturday.

Bolton should be riding high after coming from two goals behind to claim a precious point away to their promotion rivals Barnsley in midweek, while the potential return of Charles to their travelling squad will provide another boost. We expect them to claim a narrow victory and remain in the top two positions.

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