Exeter City eye top-half finish at Mansfield

Exeter City head to Mansfield Town this Saturday with a 3pm kick-off for the final game of the League One season.

A chance to secure a top-half finish is still on the table and with A a 3-1 win over Huddersfield Town at St James Park last weekend, the Grecians will be looking to end the campaign on a high and make it back-to-back victories. A top-12 finish is still possible, depending on other results – which would mark their best League One placing since the 2010/11 season.

Assistant manager Kevin Nicholson said the team were ready to give it one last push.

“We are asking the lads to be ready one last time, be professional, and see the opportunity we still have to finish 12th in an incredibly strong league,” he said. “Hopefully we can go out and execute that.”

Their opponents, Mansfield, secured survival in League One earlier this week with an entertaining 4-2 win over Peterborough United. Nicholson expects a relaxed but competitive game.

“They’re safe and they played like a team that were happy to be out of it,” he said. “It will be a good atmosphere and the pitch looks lovely – two teams in a celebratory mood.”

Among those finishing the season on a high is 17-year-old midfielder Jake Richards, who this week was named EFL League One’s Young Apprentice of the Year at the national EFL Awards. Richards made headlines earlier in the season after scoring his first professional goal before Christmas.

“It’s a really good feeling being recognised for all my hard work over the last two years,” said Richards. “I didn’t have a great start, getting injured, but I really kicked on at Christmas. I’ve had some big experiences this season that I can learn from.”

The Grecians came out on top the last time the two sides met, beating Mansfield 2-0 at home in March with goals from Demetri Mitchell and Angus MacDonald.

Saturday’s game at the One Call Stadium will bring the curtain down on a season that has included memorable wins, a cup run, and the club’s fourth consecutive campaign at League One level.

A shoutout goes to the travelling fans making the long trip north. As always, the away support has been top class.