This FA Cup second-round all-League Two contest goes on to a replay this week. Forest Green are back down in the drop zone in the league and after a failure to see off their stronger opponents on home soil at the first attempt, they find the chips stacked against them a bit now. Exeter are in the top four in League Two and the prize for getting through this is a home tie against Premier League opponents West Brom in the Third Round. Exeter are 8/11 odds on to claim the win, with Forest Green going off as 4 underdogs.
FA Cup – St. James’ Park, Exeter – December 12th 19:45 UK Time
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Draw Best Odd of: 11/4 at Unibet |
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Exeter
Forest GreenExeter Form
The Grecians have been struggling a bit lately with only the one win in their last six games in all competitions posted. That lone win did turn up on home soil though as they beat Accrington in the league. They have gone really patchy but they have won three of their last four on home soil, the only defeat there coming against Chelsea U21 in the Football League Trophy. Even though they are riding high in the league, they are the lowest scorers of the top five currently, and their early season was built off a great defence which has gotten sloppier and sloppier with only two clean sheets in their last eleven games across all competitions. They have conceded exactly three goals in each of their last two games as well, including the 3-3 draw against Forest Green at the first attempt in this FA Cup tie.
Forest Green Form
Forest Green so nearly got over the finish line on home soil against Exeter at the first attempt. They thought that they had won it in the second minute of stoppage time with a goal, but Exeter saved themselves two minutes later through Jayden Stockley to get this back to a replay. You can’t help but feel that Rovers had their chance and basically blew it against stronger opposition. Forest Green have been improving on the road a little bit with a W3 D1 L2 record in their last six road games, but have lost their last two on their travels by a one-goal margin. They are where they are in the League Two relegation zone because of a very leaky defence and that may ultimately come back to haunt them in this one.
Head to Head News
This will be the third meeting between the two sides this season. Exeter took a 3-1 away win at the New Lawn in a League Two meeting back in September and then there was that 3-3 draw between the two there in this FA Cup tie. Exeter have scored exactly three goals then in three of their last four games against Rovers. These two meetings this season have been the first encounters between them since the 2007/08 Blue Square Premier, so there’s not much recent history.
Top Betting Tips
The Grecians should be able to get through this relatively comfortably on home soil now. After scraping out two late goals to almost win the tie at the first attempt, the failure by Forest Green to close it out will probably come back to bite them. Exeter are the stronger of the two, so look for them to do this, but in a game in which both teams score again.