View from the other side: https://www.exeweb.com/forums/threads/barnsley-home-discussion-prediction-thread.64311/
I can’t back against us at the minute. I think a couple of days to “come down” after the Wednesday win might benefit us in the short term. A tough old game but we’ll find a way. 2-1, 2nd half winner from one of our super subs.
Colliers 1-0 Tykes 1-0 Reds 1-0 Aggregate 3-nowt. This is a tough game. Even a draw would be 'ok'. Win would be really good of course.
Phillips for me as been poor the last couple of games so I expect a fully fit Josh Benson to replace him. Phillips scores some cracking goals but Benson is an all-round better option for a tough away trip.. 1-1..
Interesting dilemma with Phillips. His goals have been invaluable for us, but his all round performances have been hit & miss. Thing is, as long as he's on the pitch, there's always a chance of a 30 yard thunderb&stard. not sure I can say the same about benson. great problem to have though.
A strange one to predict. Hopefully Exeter will do what we did many years ago, win 6-0 on Saturday and lose 6-0 the game after. Think we'll lose 2-0 though.
I agree with what Marc says above. Phillips gets the nod for me because he could score or assist at any time, whereas I wouldn't be as confident on Benson doing that. Conor Hourihane was often like that for 2 of the 2.5 seasons he spent with us. But he was undroppable because when he was on it, he was unplayable.
Two goals and an assist for Philips in our last four away games - in no way is Benson coming in for him in my team! Same team as usual for me and the folly of changing things was shown by the first half at Port Vale where the effectiveness of all three midfielders as a unit was affected, with Kane and Connell nowhere near as effective as normal. The midfield has been what it is because the three players fit together so well with complementary skills and abilities. In any event if Philips was missing for any reason the replacement in our system would surely be Luke Thomas who is invariably the player Duff brings on for Adam in games now Luke's back and proving a real threat to the opposition in that advanced midfield role.
I've had this and Lincoln away down as the hardest games we have left for a while now, not just because they both beat us at home and possess two of the top players I've seen in the league this season (Stansfield for Exeter and Diamond for Lincoln). Despite not losing to any of the top teams at home Lincoln have stuttered a bit recently leaving this as our sternest test remaining imho. I'm surprised but not surprised that Bolton whistle-blower Darren Handley has been retained as ref for the re-arranged fixture given his less than perfect role in the last postponement and his home town being that of a rival and so, as has sadly become the norm, as long as there are no unduly influencing refereeing shenanigans I'll take us to get a hard-fought 2-1 win.