Release DATE: Monday, June 29, 2020, 12:52 p.m.
Exeter meets Northampton’s Curle Ball behind closed doors in the first Wembley final. Who can reach the promised first division country?
It’s a League Two play-off final between the best EFL nicknames tonight when the Greeks face the Cobblers.
Matt Taylor’s Exeter City plays behind closed doors against Keith Curles Northampton Town in the first Wembley final. The clubs fight for promotion to League One.
Do both the final the hard way. Exeter went into extra time against Colchester United 3-1 in the semi-finals. Northampton returned after a 2-0 deficit in the first leg and defeated Cheltenham Town 2: 3 overall.
This promises to be an exciting fight in which both teams will likely compete in solid 3-5-2 formations. This makes the fight in midfield a key as old stagers Nicky Law (Exeter) and aggressive veteran Dubliner (Alan McCormack (Northampton)) show up in the middle.
At the top, Northampton’s free-roaming redhead Callum Morton played for the Cobblers on their comeback in the semi-finals in the second leg on Whaddon Road. West Brom borrower Morton has bagged braces and has a serious work ethic associated with real finishing skills. His strike partner will likely be Vadaine Oliver, a capable target who led Cheltenham with the early goal of getting Cobblers on the road to a memorable revival.
In Ryan Bowman, however, Exeter has his own impressive front man. The former Motherwell striker ended the Colchester semi-final with an intelligent run and goal in the 111th minute. Much will depend on which strikers can find space amidst the restrictive attention of three central defenders.
In the meantime, the wings will be important areas for both teams, and a fight between Exeter’s defensive midfielder Randal Williams and Northampton assistant king Nicky Adams could prove crucial.
Much of Northampton’s over-the-top style of play – curle ball – is determined by Adams and Exeter’s ability to defend its exact intersection will determine the outcome. There may be concerns that the Cobbler will have to confuse it with an exactly shorter pass on an imposing Wembley course, as Northampton has the second lowest pass completion ratio in the second division. This can give the more patient Exeter a way into a game on an energy-saving opportunity.
Exeter has not tried to escape the basement division in recent years, and lost in the 2017 and 2018 play-off finals. Therefore, the fear of failure again could be a mental element.
However, Curle has not won a promotion in his 18-year career as a manager and will feel the pressure this time to correct it.
In an incredibly quiet Wembley, it will be interesting to see which team can wake up when things get tough. Exeter has up to seven players on the brink of contract, while Northampton will have many of its own, for whom this may be the club’s last game.
The Greeks have to earn the victory and the Cobblers have to show soul to get their hands on a socially distant trophy.
Recommended bets:
First scorer: Callum Morton 9/2 Betfair
Correct score: 1-1 9/2 Betfair
Tom Reed is on Twitter
