Match preview: Barnsley v Exeter City (Saturday, 3pm)

Barnsley are heavy favourites to keep all three points at home in Saturday’s kick-off against Exeter City.

The Tykes, who sit fifth in EFL League One with 27 games played, are priced at 1.6 to seal victory at Oakwell.

Sitting 15 places and 22 points behind them in the table, Exeter are 5.5 to win with betting companies*, while the draw is at 4.1.

With 51 goals in 27 games so far this season, Barnsley are the league’s second-highest scorers with 1.9 goals per game. And they are conceding fewer than average, letting in 30 goals at a rate of 1.1 per game.

Exeter, meanwhile, are below average scorers, with 0.7 goals per game, compared to a league average of 1.3. They have conceded 1.4 goals per game.

In Devante Cole, the Tykes have the league’s sharpest shooter so far this season. He has notched 16 goals in 27 appearances.

City’s top scorers, with three goals each, are Sonny Cox and Ryan Trevitt.

The home team are in good form in EFL League One, with four wins and two draws from their last six games.

With two wins and two draws over that period, the visitors’ form is much worse – they have taken eight points from 18, compared to Barnsley’s 14.

In the last three years, Barnsley and Exeter have played each other on three occasions. Barnsley won one of them and Exeter the other.

Their last meeting was on October 7, when Barnsley won 1-0 away.

Barnsley’s last match was on Tuesday, a 1-0 win against Oxford United, with Sam Long getting the goal for the Tykes.

Exeter beat Bristol Rovers 1-0 last time out, also on Tuesday, with Sonny Cox on the scoresheet.

* odds are representative of those available across the betting market; for more accurate and up-to-date odds, visit bookmakers’ websites.

Barnsley v Exeter City
EFL League One | Oakwell
Saturday, 27 January 2024 at 3.00pm

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