The Bantams welcome Exeter City for their second visit of season on Saturday, this time for a Sky Bet League Two contest set for a 3.00pm kick-off.
The Grecians have gone six league games unbeaten since their New Year’s Day loss to Sutton United, picking up four wins along the way.
Six games without losing pales in comparison to the Grecians' 20-game unbeaten run, a club record set earlier in the season that was ended just prior to City’s last trip to St James’ Park.
A promising season for Matt Taylor’s side has them firmly in the promotion chase. They currently sit in sixth, four points off the automatic promotion spots with a game in hand.
We have put together an Opposition Guide to give you all the information you need to know about our visitors.
TRANSFER ACTIVITY
The Grecians made two additions in the January window, adding Kieran Phillips and Offrande Zanzala to bolster their attack.
Exeter allowed one player to leave Devon in the window. George Ray, Exeter’s winning-goal scorer in the Emirates FA Cup tie, left the club on loan.
INCOMINGS: Offrande Zanzala (Barrow, loan), Kieran Phillips (Huddersfield, loan).
OUTGOINGS: George Ray (Leyton Orient, loan).
ONES TO WATCH
Sam Nombe
Goal-scorer on his last trip to West Yorkshire, Nombe netted his seventh of the season across all competitions at the Utilita Energy Stadium.
Nombe has since scored two more and earned the same number of assists - the forward has achieved a respectable 0.5 goals per 90’ this season.
Signed from Sky Bet League One side MK Dons in the summer, Nombe progressed through the Dons academy and made his professional debut in August 2017.
Cheick Diabate
This season's breakout star at St James’ Park, Diabate joined Exeter’s academy from Stevenage in 2018.
Diabate broke into the Grecians' starting XI during their injury crisis in December, when Pierce Sweeney and Alex Hartridge limped off in the same match.
The 18-year-old has since made six appearances in the league and has seamlessly slotted into an impressive back three that has kept five clean sheets in six matches.
Diabate netted his first professional goal in the week to secure victory against Leyton Orient in injury time.
Josh Key
A product of Exeter’s academy, Key is the starlet of an impressive Grecians side, scoring his first goal for the club at 19.
Exeter’s No.12 joined the club as an under-16 and plies his trade on the right of Matt Taylor’s side, either at right-back or on the wing.
CAPTAIN
Matt Jay captains the side, having been awarded the armband after a prolific 2020/21 season. Jay has reached double figures already this season with 12 goal contributions to his name.
The Grecians' skipper is a firm fan favourite, due in no small part to his goal-scoring ability and graduation from their academy.
Jay netted twice in extra-time after coming on as one of the six substitutes used by the Grecians in the Emirates FA Cup replay that was wiped from history.
MANAGER
Matt Taylor was appointed manager at the start of the 2018/19 season, after Paul Tisdale’s departure.
Taylor made over 150 appearances as a defender for the Grecians, helping them achieve back-to-back promotions from the National League to Sky Bet League One.
The 39-year-old once donned the claret and amber of the Bantams - joining the club in 2013, but only making two appearances for the West Yorkshire outfit before joining Cheltenham Town.
LAST MATCH
Exeter 1 (Cheick Diabate 90+2’)
Leyton Orient 0
EXETER: Cameron Dawson; Pierce Sweeney, Cheick Diabate, Sam Stubbs, Archie Collins; Josh Key, Jack Sparkes, Timothee Dieng (booked 54’, Kyle Taylor 82’), Jevani Brown (booked 81’); Kieran Phillips (Padraig Amond 67’), Matt Jay © (Sam Nombe 56’). SUBS (not used): Scott Brown, Jonathan Grounds, Josh Coley, Nigel Atangana.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Meetings: 47
Exeter Wins: 17
Draws: 14
City Wins: 16
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