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Exeter City welcome Mansfield Town to St James Park on Tuesday night in what could be a crucial League One clash for both sides. The Grecians come into this one with a bit of a spring in their step after their recent 2-0 home win against Shrewsbury. That victory was a welcome relief for Gary Caldwell's men, who've only managed to win two of their last eight matches.At home, Exeter's form has been pretty shaky – just one win from their last four games at St James Park. But could that Shrewsbury result be the turning point they've been looking for? They've netted nine times in their last four home games, which suggests they're not shy in front of goal when playing on familiar turf. Can they build on that momentum?

If Exeter fans think they've had it tough, spare a thought for the Mansfield faithful. Nigel Clough's side hasn't won any of their last ten matches. Yikes! That's a stat that'll keep you up at night if you're a Stags supporter.On the road, things aren't looking much better for Mansfield. They've failed to win any of their last five away games, though they have managed to scrape three draws. Their recent home defeats to Northampton and Crawley with identical 0-1 scorelines tell the story of a team struggling to find the net, with just seven goals in their last ten matches overall. Talk about a goal drought!

Looking at the history books, Exeter might find some comfort. The Grecians have won eight of the previous head-to-head encounters compared to Mansfield's six, with three draws completing the picture. Exeter have also outscored the Stags with 22 goals to 20 across these matches.However, the last meeting between these sides back in March 2022 ended in a 2-1 victory for Mansfield on their home turf. That's ancient history in football terms, though. Both squads have undergone plenty of changes since then.An interesting wrinkle is how both teams have performed as favorites recently. Exeter has managed to live up to expectations 50% of the time when favored, while Mansfield has failed to win any of the five matches where they were expected to come out on top. Something's gotta give!

If you're thinking of leaving early, you might want to reconsider. Exeter have shown they can snatch results in the dying moments, as they did against Northampton Town earlier this month, securing a 1-1 draw late in the game.With the pre-match odds giving Mansfield a slight edge (41.6% chance of winning compared to Exeter's 33.4%), this one could go down to the wire. A draw is given a 25% chance – and based on recent form, especially Mansfield's four draws in their last ten, that's certainly a possibility.One thing's for sure – both managers will be desperate for a result. Caldwell will want to build on that Shrewsbury win, while Clough simply needs to stop the rot. Tuesday night under the lights at St James Park? Should be a cracker!

Sky Sports+ broadcasts the match in Ireland and the United Kingdom.