Exeter City battle on amid off-field turmoil

What a fortnight it’s been for Exeter City. From the pulsating FA Cup showdown with Nottingham Forest to a gritty 1-0 win at Cambridge United, the Grecians are gathering real momentum. And with 16 league matches left to play, manager Gary Caldwell is determined to keep his squad focused on the bigger picture.

“We have to build some form and build some consistency in the league. There are lots of points left to play for and we want to fight for every single one,” Caldwell asserted as his side returned to training with renewed intensity.

But this week hasn’t been without its distractions. Winger Ilmari Niskanen is facing a drink-driving charge, news that has added an unwanted off-field issue for the club to manage. While Exeter will no doubt address the situation internally, the priority for Caldwell will be ensuring his squad keeps its eyes firmly on the football.

And they’ll need that focus as they prepare for a tricky trip to Charlton Athletic. The Addicks may have suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to league leaders Birmingham City last time out, but before that, they had pieced together a six-match unbeaten run and remain firmly in the play-off hunt.

That said, Exeter will take confidence from their last meeting in November when Tristan Crama’s towering header secured a 1-0 win at St James Park. Another tight contest could be on the cards, and City will need every ounce of grit and determination to come away with something.

For the second week in a row, they’ll be sporting their blue away kit - a colour that brought good fortune at Cambridge. Will lightning strike twice?