Burton Albion host Exeter City at the Pirelli Stadium this Saturday. The two sides are on the opposite ends of the table so the three points will be important for different things such as promotion for Exeter and survival for Burton.
Burton sit 22nd in League One after five games. The Brewers have two draws and three losses leaving them on just two points. Burton have scored just two goals so far this season but have conceded eight giving them the joint worst goal difference in the league.
The Brewers started their season with three back-to-back losses. The trip to Blackpool ended in a 2 - 0 loss due to a brace from Shayne Lavery in the first half. The first home game of the season for Burton was against Derby County where The Brewers lost 3 - 0. The visit to Shrewsbury, though ending in a loss, saw Burton score their first goal of the season. Tom Bayliss and Chey Dunkley put Shrewsbury into a 2 - 0 lead but Mason Bennett got on the scoresheet for The Brewers in the 97th minute. The first point of the season for Burton came in a goalless draw with Wycombe.
The second point came in their most recent game against Bolton, Mark Helm scored for Burton to take the lead for the first time this season in the first half. However Dion Charles did equalise for Bolton early in the second half as the game ended in a 1 - 1 draw. Burton had no midweek game after they lost 2 - 0 to Leicester in the First Round of the League Cup.
Exeter City currently sit second in the league just two points behind top of the league Oxford United. In five games Exeter have three wins, one draw and one loss leaving them on ten points from a possible 15.
The Grecians opened their season away to Wycombe where goals from Jack Aitchison, Will Aimson and James Scott gave Exeter the 3 - 0 win. The first home game for Exeter was against Blackpool that ended in a 0 - 0 draw. The first Grecian loss of the season came away to Portsmouth due to a late goal from Colby Bishop giving Portsmouth the 1 - 0 win. Next came back-to-back wins for Exeter against Carlisle and Reading. Ryan Trevitt and Demetri Mitchell scored in the 2 - 0 win over Carlisle and Aimson and Reece Cole also scored in the 2 - 1 win over Reading.
Exeter hosted Stevenage in the Second Round of the League Cup. Alex Hartridge scored early on to take the lead but an equaliser from Jordan Roberts sent the tie to penalties. The Grecians scored all five of their penalties to win 5 - 3.
Burton and Exeter is not a common fixture, happening eight times with the first meeting coming back in 2012. The hosts have the upper hand with five wins in comparison to Exeter’s singular win, that came back in 2012. There have been two draws but the points haven’t been shared since 2014.
