Exeter City have match-winning weapon to beat Plymouth Argyle - they have West Brom to thank | OneFootball

Akeel Higgins has been a bright spark in Exeter City's dreary campaign so far and many will be desperate for him to start against Plymouth Argyle.

It's going to be a wet and wild night at St James Park on Thursday.

The weather is set to match the mood of Exeter City and Plymouth Argyle supporters as they prepare for the first Devon Derby since 2023 with both sides in uninspiring form.

Argyle would have expected a promotion charge after relegation from the Championship last season while Grecians were hoping for top half, but many feared the worst this season and those concerns look to be playing out.

As it happens, City head into this game in 19th, one spot above Argyle, with both sides having won four each of their 13 and 12 games this season.

Devon Derby set to be tight affair

Their form is identical over the last four matches as well, with a loss, win, draw and then a loss apiece last time out.

It's hardly inspiring stuff but Exeter boss Gary Caldwell will be hoping his defence can keep Argyle out as only two of the eight games they've lost in League One this season have come by more than a single goal.

Argyle are a bit more carefree at the front and the back, scoring 17 in 12 and shipping 21 while City have bagged just 12 goals.

It's all set up for this to be the drabbest of drab 0-0s in front of a bemused Sky Sports audience with players and supporters battered by the full force of Mother Nature, but might Exeter have a secret weapon up their sleeve heading into Thursday night?

Goals have been a huge issue with just one scored in the last four and, going further back, two in their last seven.

While the defence is keeping City in games, that's relegation form in front of goal, make no bones about it.

Akeel Higgins can be a match-winner for Exeter City

But there are the occasional bright sparks in attack and the vast majority of Exeter supporters will be hoping West Bromwich Albion's on-loan winger Akeel Higgins will get a rare start under the lights.

A quick glance at his stats this season would bring the immediate and obvious question: why?

He's made five appearances with just one start and has no goals and zero assists in that time.

However, while he's not setting things alight on the stats sheets, he's passed the eye test with flying colours.

He's quick, confident, direct, skillful, can beat a man and has a decent cross on him, too.

He can go either side of the right back and he just looks to have a degree of attacking talent that City's other wide players are sorely lacking.

Exeter City fans want to see more of Akeel Higgins

The murmurs of discontent are already loud at St James Park but Caldwell has had another question to deal with in recent weeks, namely, why Higgins isn't featuring more.

Sadly the answer seems clear, the 20-year-old left-winger is an out-and-out attacking player and the City chief looks determined to never, ever vary from his beloved three centre backs and two defensive wing backs - whatever the situation.

Higgins has started one match though, playing in behind the striker and pulling out wide, and he had a great impact as City put on a good show in the first 45 against Reading two weekends ago before he and the team faded after the break.

It was back to basics for City this weekend in the 1-0 loss to Stockport County where the usual problems reared their head and City suffered a narrow defeat.

Higgins had a largely uneventful 30 minutes at Edgeley Park as City huffed and puffed for an equaliser but, with so little else going on in attack, he looks to be well worth a gamble from the off in City's biggest game of the season so far on Thursday.

It's a game that could go either way and the weather will play it's part, but how the Grecian faithful would love to see if Higgins can do it on a wet and windy Thursday at St James Park.