Four wins and two draws from their first six games has left Exeter City top of the pile as they enjoy the type of form every team looks for at the start of every season.
The unbeaten run has seen them pick up their quartet of victories by winning by the odd goal, but that has also demonstrated a real desire to see games through, both home and away.
The draws came in the middle of the month, at home to Swindon and away to Oldham, and their last two outings have seen them put Morecambe and Mansfield to the sword.
Some familiar faces head back to Brunton Park this weekend, with striker Ryan Bowman and defender Tom Parkes both expected to feature in the match day 18, and Bowman will definitely be one to watch with two goals to his name already this season.
The lively Nicky Law is another with a brace of strikes on his tally sheet, complemented by two assists as he continues to be a thorn in the side for League Two teams up and down the country.
It's now six meetings between these sides since the Blues recorded a victory, but it's a game which tends to bring goals and goalmouth excitement, with playing football the right way very much the order of the day.
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From the manager
Speaking ahead of the game, Steven Pressley said: "I think we say the same thing every week because there are no easy games at this level.
"It doesn't matter wheteher you're coming up against a team at the top of the table or one at the other end, it still comes down to the fine margins we talk about.
"Exeter have found a level of stability in recent seasons and they've recruited well, and that has given them something to build on. They're a team full of confidence and they can approach games in different ways, so it's important that we start positively and look to impose our style of play on them.
"We've seen how good we can be when we all do our jobs, and that's why I know we have nothing to fear in this division. The players know they'll have to work hard against a team that will look to move the ball quickly, but we also know we have a style of play which can cause problems for them as well.
"It's another good game for us to look forward to and I hope the fans conitnue to support us in the way they have been, because they've shown that they've appreciated the effort and commitment they've seen so far. Hopefully the results we all want to see will follow on from that."
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Head2Head
| Carlisle wins | Draws | Exeter wins | |
| League | 19 | 17 | 24 |
| Cup | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 19 | 18 | 25 |
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Highlights from previous meetings
The last meeting between these two sides was in February this year, when a bright start here at Brunton Park from the Grecians brought a stunning goal from Nicky Law. His initial effort from a free kick struck the wall, but he reacted smartly to volley the rebound into the bottom corner. Carlisle pushed and pushed for an equaliser, and they eventually got the reward they deserved when Devitt smashed an unstoppable set piece into the top corner.
The first game of last season took us to Exeter for an encounter which was played out in blistering heat. Early goals for the hosts from Nicky Law and Jonathan Forte set the Blues on the back foot, but Richie Bennett glanced a header into the net before the break to keep the Cumbrians in the hunt. There were chances to level it in the second period but Tristan Abrahams scored late in the day to make sure Exeter took the points.
Watch the highlights from that game here:
Prior to that we were in Exeter once again towards the end of the 2017/18 campaign. It was a 1-1- draw, and Ashley Nadesan scored the Carlisle goal in what was a very keenly fought game.
Watch the highlights from that game here:
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Match officials
Referee - Jeremy Simpson
Assistant Referee 1 - Geoffrey Liddle
Assistant Referee 2 - David Avent
Fourth Official - Peter Gooch
It's been a while since we last saw Mr Simpson and, in fact, we have to go all the way back to our away game with Accrington in February 2016 to find the last time he was the man in the middle for one of our games.
The night started in the worst possible way for the Blues when Jabo Ibehre was sent off with just 34 seconds on the clock (the card was rescinded later that week). The ten men dug deep on the day, and they even took the lead in the first half when Hallam Hope struck from close range. Terry Gornell got the equaliser after the break, but that was after Stanley were also reduced to ten men when Adam Buxton was given his marching orders.
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Match tickets
Full match ticket details are HERE.
You can purchase your tickets online HERE.
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