Next Up: Reading vs Exeter City

City’s excellent recent form continued with a comfortable 3-1 win at struggling Port Vale, a result that saw Gary Caldwell’s side move into the top ten. Attention turns to another away match, this time to another of the five sides locked on 36 points. Caldwell has tended to use midweek matches to freshen things up particularly in the attacking third, although the in-form Jayden Wareham will surely be nailed on to start against the side that sold him to City n the summer. Reece Cole and Sonny Cox may be in line to start, however, if Caldwell does decide to rotate things. Jack McMillan returned from injury off the bench on Saturday and may resume his place in the side although that would be harsh on youngster Liam Oakes, who has done well in deputising for the Scottish utility player.

Having parted company with Noel Hunt, Reading have turned to Leam Richardson to guide them to a possible tilt at the playoffs, and the Royals are yet another team looking in both directions as the season starts to head towards the business end. Richardson has been well backed in the transfer market so far this month with Haydon Roberts joining from Bristol City and much-travelled former Manchester United striker Will Keane arriving on loan, with rumours of a signing coming in from Accrington ahead of Tuesday night. Reading go into the match with one defeat in their last seven matches, most notably with home wins over Luton and Stockport, although they have picked up one point from their last two matches, most recently a 2-2 draw at home to Barnsley on Saturday. Jack Marriott scored one of those goals to take himself to double figures in the league. Lewis Wing (eight) has caught the eye with a number of stunning goals, while Charlie Savage will look to pull the strings in midfield. Former City winger Randell Williams hasn’t featured since early January.

Hunt was in the dugout for the visitors when Reading made the trip to Devon in October, and the scoring was done after eleven minutes – Marriott putting the visitors ahead before Wareham showed his former employers what they were missing with the equaliser. Last season’s visit to the Madejski, also a Tuesday night fixture, finished in an entertaining 0-0 draw. Reading have the strong upper hand in league head to heads in one of City’s most common fixtures, winning 49 times to City’s 23, with 15 draws.

The match officials for this game will be:-

Referee: Charles Breakspear
Assistant Referees: Stuart Kane and Alex Bradley
Fourth Official : David Rock

Charles Breakspear last took charge of an Exeter match in February 2025 for the home game against Northampton Town which finished in a 1-1 draw. He’s only taken charge of 9 games so far this season, showing the yellow card 34 times and sending off one player.

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