Exeter City vs Stevenage Prediction - 17th January 2026

League One's mid-table clash at St James Park sees an Exeter City side in formidable home form host a Stevenage team searching for momentum. With Exeter sitting 14th on 30 points and Stevenage 8th on 37 points but with a game in hand, the table suggests a close contest. However, the recent data tells a very different story, one that points strongly towards the home side. Exeter City have turned their home ground into a fortress. In their last four matches at St James Park, they have a perfect 100% win rate, scoring nine goals and, crucially, conceding none. This run includes a 1-0 victory over 7th-placed Luton, a 3-0 thrashing of Barnsley, and a 1-0 win against AFC Wimbledon. Their defensive solidity is the standout feature, with a remarkable 0.00 goals conceded per game at home from this sample. Their overall recent form of five wins from ten (1.60 points per game) is respectable, with losses only coming against top-six sides Cardiff and Bolton, and the freak 10-1 FA Cup defeat to Manchester City. Stevenage, in contrast, are stumbling. Their last ten games have yielded just two wins, four draws, and four defeats, averaging a mere 1.00 point per game. Their recent results include a 2-1 loss to Luton, a 1-1 draw with Plymouth, and a 0-0 stalemate with AFC Wimbledon. While they have shown they can win on the road, as seen in victories at Peterborough and Stockport County, their current trajectory is concerning. They've won just once in their last five outings and have become draw specialists. Away from home, they average 1.00 goal scored and 0.83 conceded, but they face an Exeter defence that hasn't been breached at home in their last four attempts. The head-to-head history heavily favours Exeter City at home. In four previous meetings at St James Park, Exeter are unbeaten with three wins and one draw, giving them a 75% home win rate against Stevenage. The most recent encounter was a 1-2 Stevenage victory back in September, but that was on their turf. The historical trend at this venue cannot be ignored. Statistically, Exeter dominate the key metrics at home. They average 13.67 shots and 5.00 shots on target per game in their own stadium, compared to Stevenage's away averages of 8.50 shots and 2.67 on target. Exeter also enjoy more possession (49.3% vs 38.0%) and win more corners (6.00 vs 5.33). Stevenage's pass accuracy of 65.8% is significantly lower than Exeter's 77.6%, suggesting they may struggle to control the game. **Key Points:** * **Exeter's Home Fortress:** 100% win rate in last 4 home games, with 4 consecutive clean sheets. * **Stevenage's Poor Form:** Just 2 wins in their last 10 matches, becoming draw-heavy (4 draws). * **Head-to-Head Dominance:** Exeter are unbeaten in 4 home games vs Stevenage (W3, D1). * **Defensive Mismatch:** Exeter concede 0.00 goals per game at home recently; Stevenage score 1.00 per game away. * **Statistical Edge:** Exeter create more chances (13.67 shots/game) and control possession better at home. **Summary & Betting Verdict:** All signs point to an Exeter City victory. Their imperious home form, characterised by watertight defence and efficient attacking, clashes with a Stevenage side low on confidence and wins. While Stevenage's league position is higher, their recent performances don't justify favouritism. At odds of 2.50, the home win represents significant value against a probability I estimate to be comfortably above the implied 40%. This is the clear value bet for this League One fixture.