EFL League One preview and tips: Barnsley too hot for mid-table Exeter
- George Dempsey
- 28 March 2023
Barnsley have the perfect opportunity to pile the pressure on the rest of League One’s promotion chasers when they visit Exeter City at St James Park on Tuesday evening.
With nine games left to play, Exeter find themselves marooned mid-table, joint 11th with two other teams, 15 points outside the play-offs and 14 points above the drop zone.
The Grecians' form has been patchy all season and at no point have they put together a sustained run that made them look like the play-off contenders they're usually tipped to be.
City have picked up three straight wins at home, but all of them were against bottom-half teams, and two of those are in the thick of a relegation battle. The defence has been their weak point, but they have shut out four of the last seven visitors.
Fourth-placed Barnsley haven't been beaten in 12 games and they've kept their fair share of clean sheets in that time. The Tykes will have been disappointed to draw 0-0 at Bristol Rovers, but it was part of a run on the road that has seen them go 346 minutes without conceding a goal.
Barnsley have kicked into gear in 2023, but their away form has been solid all season. They've lost just two games since the first month of the season and have recorded impressive wins at Peterborough, Sheffield Wednesday, and Wycombe, as well as picking up a valuable 2-2 draw away to Ipswich.
It's been a mixed bag for Exeter who have a string of challenging home games to come, kicking off with this visit of Barnsley, but given the differing motivations at this stage of the season, it's fair to expect an away win.
Exeter did manage a 2-0 victory at Oakwell earlier in the season during a challenging period for the Tykes that saw them go four without a win. It needed a 90th-minute winner in the game prior to that, meaning Barnsley came within seconds of going five games without a goal.
Exeter are one of just four teams to have beaten Barnsley on their own patch this season and it's unlikely the visitors have forgotten that. Needless to say, they're a different proposition now.
Unlike that meeting in October, Barnsley have a clean bill of health for this game, and their consistent line-up has allowed for several key partnerships to flourish with goals coming from all over the pitch.
Adam Phillips has been the chief creator and Devante Cole is top scorer, but on the evidence, Barnsley would make do without them.
During their four straight victories, Barnsley have found the net 11 times with eight different names on the score sheet. Michael Duff's men have averaged 1.45 goals on their travels, and they've held their opponents to 0.70 on average.
Exeter will present a very stiff test, particularly without any pressure on them, but motivation is often a deciding factor down the home stretch of the season.
The opportunity to back Barnsley at the odds available, and against a mid-table team, seems a risk worth taking.
Suggested Bet
Barnsley to win
