Next Up: Walsall vs Exeter City – League Cup

A city side containing six debutants recorded a fine 1-0 win over a Rotherham side predicted to be competing at the top, and it’s therefore in a buoyant mood that Gary Caldwell’s squad heads to Walsall on Tuesday night for a match in the competition which held good memories last season. Johnly Yfeko marked his début with the assist for Caleb Watts’ winner, but with a large squad at his disposal Caldwell may use this match as an opportunity to assess the fitness and quality of some of his other players. The suspension rules in the EFL are quite vague so your writer apologises regarding whether Ryan Woods needs to sit out this match as part of his three match suspension, or whether he will be available for the Walsall trip but misses the match at the scene of his red card on Saturday.

Like City, Walsall kicked off the campaign with a 1-0 home win, this time against Morecambe. Manager Mat Sadler, now in his second full season, oversaw a steady improvement at his near namesake Saddlers last time as Walsall finished 11th having placed 16th the season before. Sadler was able to boost his options in the final third with signings of pedigree such as Albert Adomah and Josh Gordon, while Jamille Matt is always a towering presence.

The last time these sides met was at the Bescot in January 2022, as City’s promotion push gained momentum with a 2-0 win thanks to goals late in each half from Tim Dieng and Cheick Diabate, sandwiching a red card early in the second half for Rollin Menayese for the hosts. The sides have met a number of times in the EFL Cup, most recently in 01/02 as then second-tier Walsall avoided an upset at the Park with a 1-0 win thanks to Moreira Herivelto. That represented Walsall’s fourth win against City in this competition, City winning once and one match finishing level.

The draw for the second round will be at the conclusion of Leeds United v Middlesbrough and live on Sky Sport.

The match officials for this game will be:-

Referee: Jacob Miles
Assistant Referees: Samuel Fudge and Oliver Spender
Fourth Official : Daniel Middleton

Jacob Miles last refereed an Exeter game in January of this year, the 1-0 win away in L1 at Bristol Rovers. Last season he took charge of 21 games, issuing 84 yellow cards and one red card.