Three points shy of the League Two play-off places, Exeter City’s season has been plagued by inconsistency so far.

Only once have Paul Tisdale’s Grecians put together back-to-back wins – victories over Hartlepool United and Leyton Orient in September seeing the West Country outfit into sixth.

Since then, though, City have won just two of eight, a run which has seen them slip to 11th place ahead of Saturday’s visit to The Hive.

Here we profile three City players who could prove key.

Clinton Morrison: The veteran former Republic of Ireland international, now 36, scored his first Grecians goal this season at the 36th attempt.

Signed last season from Midland League side Long Eaton United, Morrison made 25 appearances without finding the net last season but finally broke his duck his duck in a 3-3 draw against Stevenage at the beginning of the month.

Born in Tooting, Morrison began his career with Crystal Palace, netting 61 times in 141 league starts for the Eagles before a £4.25 million switch to Birmingham City in 2002.

Morrison spent three years with the Blues before returning to Selhurst Park for £2 million in August 2005. Three years and 41 goals later he joined Coventry City on a free – scoring 21 times in 78 league starts – before a two-year stay at Sheffield Wednesday.

Colchester United were Morrison’s last Football league club – between 2012 and 2014 – before he dropped into non-league football, only to be rescued by City in November.

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Ryan Harley: The flame-haired midfielder is finally getting regular football once more after returning to St James' Park following four years away.

Now 30, Harley joined the Grecians from Bristol City in 2008 and after three impressive years with the club earned a move to Championship side Swansea City.

Immediately loaned back to Exeter, Harley would endure unsuccessful spells with Brighton & Hove Albion and Swindon Town before returning to Exeter for a third spell– his second on loan – last November.

After seven loan appearances the Bristol-born midfielder made his return permanent in January and has made more league starts for the club, 24, than he has for any of his other clubs since departing the first time around.

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Joel Grant: Signed this summer, the pacey winger-cum-forward joined the Grecians following two seasons at West Country rivals Yeovil Town.

The 28-year-old, who began his career at Watford, joined thanks to the club’s 1931 fund, so named after the club’s run in the 1931 FA Cup, which saw the club’s St James’ Park home boast a record attendance of 20,984. As a result, he wears the number 31 jersey.

Grant has ten full caps for Jamaica and was a runner-up at this summer’s CONCACAF Gold Cup with the Caribbean minnows, losing to Argentina in the final.

Born in Acton, Grant left first club Watford for Aldershot Town in 2007 following a successful loan spell the previous season.

He joined Crewe Alexandra for £130,000 after a year with the Shots and made almost 100 league appearances in three seasons before heading south once more to link up with Wycombe Wanderers.

Two impressive years at Adams Park saw the converted wideman earn a move to Championship side Yeovil before his contract expired in the summer.