Aiming to continue an eight-match winning streak, Huddersfield Town will welcome Exeter City to the Accu Stadium on Saturday for an FA Cup first-round tie.

The hosts have climbed to the top of the League One with a hot streak, while their visitors saw an unbeaten run of their own come to an end last weekend and sit 12th in League Two.

Match preview

Huddersfield Town will kick off their 2026-27 FA Cup bid at the weekend on the back of a strong run in League One.

The Terriers have failed to get past this stage in the previous two years, most recently losing to Bolton Wanderers last time around, but they do come in with plenty of confidence, currently sitting top of League One in their first full season under Martin Drury after falling short of the playoffs in their first two terms in the third tier.

In 14 league games since Drury was handed the reins permanently over the summer, the Yorkshire outfit have managed 29 points, winning eight and only losing one of those matches while scoring a league-high tally of 28 goals.

That solitary defeat came in mid-September, and the Terriers have since won six of eight games in all competitions and five in seven league outings while drawing the other two, most recently hosting fellow promotion-chasers Luton Town on the back of four straight triumphs in midweek and drawing 1-1 with thanks to Joe Taylor's second-half hat-trick.

Now turning their focus to the FA Cup, Huddersfield Town will hope to channel their league form into Saturday's first-round tie and continue their hot streak with another victory.

Their opponents, meanwhile, face a tough test in the first round having reached the fourth and third rounds in their prior two campaigns.

Exeter City enter this year's competition on the back of a mixed start to life back in League Two after relegation last term, having struggled to get up and running early on.

Matt Taylor's team earned just six points from their first eight games in England's fourth tier but reversed their fortunes in a near-perfect October, winning four and drawing one in a five-match run culminating in victories over Crewe Alexandra and Fleetwood Town to climb into the top half.

That run also came alongside an EFL Trophy tie against third-tier Oxford United, in which the Grecians drew and won the penalty shootout, but their unbeaten run came to an end at the weekend, visiting leaders Salford City and losing 2-1 having led through Sonny Cox and conceded second-half goals to Luke Garbutt and Will Aimson.

Still with plenty of optimism to take from their much-improved run in October, Exeter City will now bid to pull off an upset in Yorkshire to progress to the FA Cup second round. 

Huddersfield Town form (all competitions):

Exeter City form (all competitions):

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Team News

After a busy and successful run in League One, Drury may opt to rotate his Huddersfield team at the weekend to rest some key men and afford opportunities for squad players, although Jack Whatmough, Herbie Kane, Marcus McGuane, Murray Wallace and Bojan Radulovic will likely remain sidelined by injuries.

Joe Taylor and summer signing Derensili Sanches Fernandes have both been pivotal in attack, with the former on 10 goals in 13 league appearances this term and the latter racking up seven goals and six assists in 14 league matches since his summer arrival, and they may both be handed a well-earned rest with Ashley Fletcher and Samson Tovide likely to come in.

The injuries leave the Terriers light in midfield, but David Kasumu can come in to relieve either Archie Collins or Cameron Humphreys, while Joe Low should return to the defence from the outset.

Exeter City are contending with a long injury list, as Jake Doyle-Hayes, Gwion Edwards, Ajay Matthews, Danny Rose and Daniel Watts sidelined.

Goals have been spread out across the squad this season with no one on more than two but six players tied on that number, including Cox who should again lead the attack after his opener against Salford.

Reece Cole may come in to support him alongside Anthony Scully and Taylor Perry, while Charlie Cummins a mainstay at the base of the midfield.

Huddersfield Town possible starting lineup:

Young; Low, Bowat, Roughan; Bronkhorst, Humphreys, Kasumu, Gooch; Ashia; Tovide, Fletcher

Exeter City possible starting lineup:

Bycroft; Samuel, Taylor, Fitzwater, Woodhouse; Kite, Cummins; Cole, Perry, Scully; Cox

We say: Huddersfield Town 3-1 Exeter City

Huddersfield Town are far more likely than their visitors to shuffle the pack on Saturday, but the Terriers have momentum and strength in depth, even despite their injuries, and should have more than enough to continue their strong run of form with squad players keen to impress.

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