Our prediction for this League 1 match:
In-form Exeter City will look to extend their winning run in League One to three games when they face Derby County at St James Park. The Grecians have been showing signs of improvement of late, with January signing Mohamed Eisa already proving his worth. The Sudan international is widely expected to lead the line for the hosts after opening his goal-scoring account in a 2-1 win over Wigan Athletic.
The Rams, on the other hand, dropped two points in a 1-1 draw with Shrewsbury Town. Derby County are eager to stay in the automatic promotion berth, but beating the high-flying Grecians at St James Park is easier said than done. Taking everything into account, we believe that there is a big value in betting on draw. Ebou Adams suffered an injury at the weekend, with Liam Thompson being ready to sneak into the starting XI.
Highlighted Player (Conor Hourihane):
Conor Hourihane is an Irish footballer who plays for Barnsley. The midfielder was born on 2 February, 1991 and he started his youth career at Premier League club Sunderland. In 2011 he joined Plymouth Argyle and he spent three years at Home Park.
After scoring 15 goals in 125 appearances for the Pilgrims in 2014 Hourihane decided to take next big step in his career. On 23 June he signed a three-year deal with Barnsley for a fee of £250,000. In August he won the League One Player of the Month award and, no doubt, he made a flying start to his Barnsley career. Hourihane made 46 appearances for the Tykes in the 2014/2015 League One campaign, scoring 15 goals and he certainly helped the team return to the Championship.
The Irish midfielder has eight caps for the U-21 team. His main position is central midfield, but he is capable of playing as defensive and left midfielder as well. Conor Hourihane is a right-footed footballer.
Highlighted Team (Exeter):
Nicknamed the Grecians, Exeter City are a professional football club that welcome their rivals at St. James Park. The stadium was opened in September 1904, and it can hold up to 8,696 spectators. Exeter City play their homes in white jerseys with red stripes, and black shorts, while violet and yellow are the dominant colours of their away kit.
The Grecians made it to the FA Cup quarter-finals on two occasions (1930/31, 1980/81), with the team advancing to the FA Trophy semis in the 2005/06 season. The likes of Harry Gee, Cliff Bastin, Maurice Setters, Dick Pym, Fred Whitlow, Arnold Mitchell, Tony Kellow, Fred Binney, Darran Rowbotham, Lee Sharp, and David Pleat are one of the most notable footballers who played for Exeter City in the past.
Plymouth Argyle, Torquay United, Bristol Rovers, and Yeovil Town are considered the club’s fiercest rivals. The Grecians currently compete in the League Two.