We have no guarantees

RYAN Harley believes his inability to instantly reclaim his first team spot shows the calibre and depth of Exeter City's squad.

The midfielder started his first game in more than a month last week as he benefited from Matt Gill's three match ban for being sent off in the FA Cup defeat at Curzon Ashton.

Harley, a star of City's early surge up the League Two table, had initially lost his place in the side because of a hip injury.

But with the Grecians picking up results in his absence, he was left kicking his heels on the sidelines waiting for another opportunity.

Harley said: "We all know full well that nobody is guaranteed a start.

"You can't expect to go straight back into the side when the team is doing well.

"Usually in a squad you have a first team and then a few younger lads and fringe players as back up.

"But we have got 20 players who are all good enough to play and that is the standard we are setting at the moment.

"It keeps people on their toes," he added. "In midfield we have got myself, Rob Edwards, Bertie Cozic, Matt Gill, Manny Panther, Sercs (Liam Sercombe) and Neil Saunders.

"But then there are other players like Fred Murray who haven't played a game yet so it just shows how strong the squad is that some people aren't getting a sniff at the moment.

"Normally at clubs you have a few players out injured and a few out on loan, but that isn't the case here and we are all fighting for a place.

"No one is guaranteed a start and it gives the manager a bit of a headache, which I am sure is what he wants."

Other than Gill, who serves the second of a three-match suspension this afternoon and injury-victim Matt Taylor, everyone else in the squad is fit and available.

The Grecians head into today's clash at Christie Park on the back of a two-game losing run. Curzon Ashton dumped City out of the FA Cup before Aldershot Town piled on the agony by sentencing City to a 1-0 defeat at The Recreation Ground last Saturday.

And Harley said: "We want to bounce back straight away. I don't think it is going to be a great, flowing game up there but we are looking to get back on track after two defeats.

"We are aware that most games are hard in this league and this one will be no different.

"I wasn't at the club when we lost to Morecambe at Wembley, but obviously it was a hugely disappointing day.

"That game is bound to be talked about in the build-up to this game.

"We are both in the Football League now and it is a nice place to be playing your football."