Grecians drum up Samba support

EVEN before their trek North to face Athletic begins, Exeter City were this week crossing their fingers for improved fortunes away from the sanctity of home.

On the field, the Grecians are unbeaten in seven at St James Park in npower League One, but have won only twice this season on the road.

That includes a 2-0 victory at bottom-of-the-table Chesterfield two weeks ago.

Away from the pitch, two Exeter directors have just embarked on a journey which has taken them right the way to the heart of Brazil — with a lofty goal of negotiating a friendly with the national team.

It may seem a bizarre and unlikely target. But bear in mind this is a club which in the last decade welcomed singing megastar Michael Jackson and magician David Blaine to a match as guests of then-director and famed spoon-bender Uri Geller.

And back on planet earth, the mission is connected to an attempt to mark the Brazilian national team’s centenary, with the first match by the samba stars being against Exeter back in 1914.

“The Brazilians are keen,” says Exeter chairman chairman Edward Chorlton.

“I am sure that during their visit, our ambassadors Julian (Tagg, vice-chairman) and Bruce (Henderson, business

development manager) will do their best to progress negotiations so that we can pull this off and do so in our normal way without cost or risk to the football club.”

Athletic are themselves searching for a touch of inspiration on Saturday.

Putting aside cup form, a run of only two wins in the last 11 fixtures has resulted in a gentle slide down the rankings to the current position of 16th.

The only home league game of the first month of the year also provides home manager Paul Dickov with an opportunity to gain revenge on opposite number Paul Tisdale, after the 2-0 loss at Exeter earlier this season which arrived thanks to goals either side of half-time from former Athletic loan man Daniel Nardiello and Guillem Bauza.

It was a game Athletic felt, as so often this season, they should have got something from.

Grecians goalkeeper Artur Krysiak was particularly inspired in the second period. The 22-year-old Pole made a string of excellent saves to preserve a clean sheet and has since cemented his number one spot.

Bauza and Nardiello have had their injury problems this term but are likely to line up either side of on-loan Reading player Jake Taylor in a three-pronged attack for Exeter, who will be missing midfielder Liam Sercombe after he took a knock in the goalless draw against Hartlepool last week.

Exeter (probable, 4-3-3): Krysiak; Tully, Coles, Archibald-Henville, Golbourne; Duffy, Noble, Dunne; Bauza, Taylor, Nardiello.