WITH the season rapidly drawing to a close, Paul Tisdale knows that anything less than a win at home to Cheltenham Town on Saturday would be a huge blow to Exeter City's play-off hopes.
Bradford City's 2-0 loss at home to Rotherham United on Tuesday evening has left the Grecians a point off the play-off spots with just Saturday's game and a trip to Chesterfield remaining.
The Spireites failed to make up any ground on City after a 2-1 home defeat to Plymouth Argyle on Tuesday, while Cheltenham are battling for promotion themselves in fifth spot.
Tisdale insisted his team would not be happy with anything less than maximum points, but hinted that they would still approach their high-flying opponents with a touch of caution.
"We are still in with a chance of the play-offs so we have to go for the win if we want to stay in there frankly," said Tisdale.
"We go for the win every week but it is all about how you look for it and how you go about it that is what makes the difference.
"There's no doubt that we want all three points though. We are probably going to need it to stay in with a chance of the play-offs.
"But they are going for automatic promotion so they will be looking for the win too and have lots to play for, so we have to be wary of that."
Tisdale's hopes of success have not been helped by a desvastating injury crisis which shows no signs of abating.
Long-term injuries to Liam Sercombe, Tommy Doherty and Matt Oakley have decimated City's midfield, while the likes of Alan Gow and John O'Flynn have also missed chunks fo the season.
One plus-point for Tisdale was the return of Gow in Saturday's 2-2 draw at Wimbledon with a 10-minute cameo appearance.
But, in a cruel twist of fate which epitomises Exeter's fitness fortunes, O'Flynn is having tests done on a foot injury he picked up against the Dons, while Jamie Cureton has not trained for the early part of this week with a hamstring problem.
Question marks surround the duo's participation in Saturday's crunch clash, and Tisdale says the crowded treatment room reminds him of last season's misfortunes.
"The injury crisis deepens I'm afraid," said Tisdale. "It does sort of sum up our season really. Last year was very difficult for us when we had our defensive injury crisis around February and March.
"I thought that would be a one-off but it is happening again, this time to our creative players.
"But the problem is not so much the injuries because every club gets them and you have to accept that. The problem is that we have very little back-up and as a club we just do not have the finances to go out and replace injured players, so we are very light on numbers.
"With John O'Flynn out that would be a real blow for us. It's good that Alan Gow is back playing, but he won't be fully fit for the rest of the season."
Predicted City line-up: Krysiak, Woodman, Baldwin, Coles, Tully, Davies, Doherty, D'Ath, Cureton, O'Flynn, Reid
