Will Pompey's start be heaven in Devon?
Friday, 8th Aug 2014 22:32 by pompey-fans.com staff

As Pompey begin their second season in League Two, they will do well to remember how high hopes turned into a season of struggle last time around.

This time, the approach of everyone at Fratton Park is generally more cautious - not that everyone was getting carried away last season before Oxford came to town and took the Blues down a peg or two on a forgettable opening day.

Manager Andy Awford is asking for patience and saying nothing will be won or lost (apart from three points) on the first day at Exeter's St James' Park, where the team were denied an away win by an injury-time equaliser six months ago.

That said, most in royal blue will feel quite within their rights to expect better this season than to be safe from a drop into the Conference with only a few games left, as was experienced in 2013-14.

The way Awford has taken the whole summer to strengthen his squad, keeping the pick of last year's players and adding to the ranks with an interesting selection of new recruits, has been impressive, and he's certainly saying all the right things ahead of the big kick-off.

In Devon, Pompey could field as many as eight debutants in their squad. Nigel Atangana, James Dunne, Paul Jones, Michael Poke, Paul Robinson, Miles Storey, Craig Westcarr and Alex Wynter are all looking to make their Pompey debuts.

Of those looking to build on last season's Fratton campaign, Ricky Holmes and Ryan Taylor have recovered from knocks and will be available for selection at Exeter, but Patrick Agyemang and Danny East are both sidelined by hamstring problems.

Awford says Holmes and Taylor aren't automatic starters. ‘I wouldn’t want them to go out there and pick up another injury because they are not quite match fit, so we have to consider that as well,' he told The News.

‘There are other games after Exeter, although we will be going all-out to beat them and not holding anything back. Taylor picked up his groin injury against Ebbsfleet, while Holmes’ last action was Thurrock, so they haven’t had a lot of training and you have to be careful.

‘It’s about whether it is better for them to come off the bench or they start and we get an hour out of them. I know what they’ll say about it — but I have to protect them and make sure they are ready for the whole season.’

Ben Close (hamstring), Tom Craddock (knee), Wes Fogden (knee) and Bradley Tarbuck (ankle) are out of action.

Last season: Exeter 1 Pompey 1 This season we predict: 0-0