Plymouth ARGYLE vs Exeter City-Match Preview

Following the postponement of last Saturday’s fixture, away at Chesterfield, Plymouth Argyle return to Home Park to face Devon Rivals Exeter City in a 1pm kick-off.   

For the 96^th meeting between the two clubs John Sheridan will exploit in his first ever involvement in a Devon Derby, after being appointed the successor of former Argyle manager and player Carl Fletcher on 6^th January 2013 after his sacking of January 1^st. John Sheridan is not the only one that will experiment the Devon Derby in full flow, Jason Banton, Joe Bryan, Lee Cox, Ronan Murray and Rueben Reid are all players who have been brought into the club on loan from Championship and League One clubs by Sheridan, and will playing a huge part in the fixture that will promise to attract a huge crowd to Home Park.

The Devon clubs have met once already this present season at St James Park, home of Exeter City in the 1-1 draw on Saturday 15^th December 2012.  Bristol-born Joe Lennox equalised for the Pilgrims with a spectacular shot into the top left hand corner on 72 minutes after Liam Sercombe had given the home side the lead in the first half. Since this fixture there have been changes to the Pilgrims squad and management staff.  Darren Purse, Mark Molesley, Joe Lennox, Rhys Griffiths and Robbie Williams have all departed the club to start a new chapter in there footballing careers.  However one ex- Pilgrim will return to the club, Mark Molesley signed for the Pilgrims on loan from AFC Bournemouth earlier this season and participated in the Devon Derby at St James Park in December.  Following 4-years in Dorset with AFC Bournemouth Molesley was released by the club in January after spending time out on loan to Aldershot and Plymouth Argyle.  On January 18^th 2013 Exeter City signed the attacking midfielder on a contract until the end of the 2012-13 season.  There has also been a change of manager since the last meeting.  John Sheridan is now in charge of the Pilgrims after Carl Fletcher was relieved of the job earlier this year after a run of poor results.   

John Sheridan will still be without defender Anthony Charles on Saturday after he was substituted against Argyle’s 2-0 victory over Southend after he suffered a recurrence of his groin injury.  The manager will also be without Jamie Richards after the defender signed on-loan to Weymouth until the end of the season on Thursday.  Defender Curtis Nelson will be aiming to make it back into the match-day squad after recovering from a groin injury, which has kept him out of the squad for two months. Midfielder Jamie Lowry will be out until next season after suffering an ankle injury that has kept him out for the past few games.  Striker Reuben Reid will be available for selection for John Sheridan after he had his loan deal extended until the end of the season. For Exeter City, Paul Tisdale will be without Liam Sercombe and formally of Argyle Alan Gow for Saturday’s game at Home Park after they both have ankle injuries. Both Matt Oakley and Tommy Doherty will also be missing through shoulder and back injuries.  Anton Rodgers son of Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers will be looking to make his first start in an Exeter Jersey after he signed on loan from Brighton.                 

Available: - Jake Cole, Rene Gilmartin, Ollie Chenoweth, Durrell Berry, Maxime Blanchard, Guy Branston, Paul Wotton, Curtis Nelson, Onismor Bhasera, Jason Banton, Luke Young, Conor Hourihane, Lee Cox, Ronan Murray, Joe Bryan, Paris Cowan-Hall, Andres Gurrieri, Jared Sims, Isaac Vassell, Nick Chadwick, Tyler Harvey, Matt LeCointe, Reuben Reid.      

Unavailable: - Jamie Richards (on loan to Weymouth), Anthony Charles (groin injury), Warren Feeney (short of match fitness), Jamie Lowry (out for the rest of the season with an ankle injury)