Exeter City manager Gary Caldwell expects players to be knocking at his door this week and arguing their case to start for the Grecians. City’s 2-1 defeat at home to Barnsley on Saturday extended a poor recent run which has seen them drop down to 15^th in the League One table.

It is just one win in eight in all competitions and no wins in six in the league. In League One, the Grecians have only won just one of their last nine games, as City are now seven points off the play-offs, and just five points above the relegation.

Josh Magennis’ deflected free-kick had broken the deadlock in the 13 ^th minute and City had chances to be further ahead at half-time. But the Tykes were much better in the second half and turned the game around.

READ MORE: Exeter City 'harsh words' thrown around with 'honest conversations' needed

READ MORE: Exeter City 'must be better' after throwing away game in Barnsley loss

Firstly Kelechi Nwakali drilled home a thunderous strike moments into the second half after City failed to clear their lines. And just before the hour, Barnsley turned it around and took the lead when Davis Keillor-Dunn got on the end of a cross to poke home from close range to make it 2-1 to end their six game run without a victory.

With plenty of City players now fit and available, Kamari Doyle, Ben Purrington, Kevin McDonald, Amani Richards, Sonny Cox and Mustapha Carayol didn’t even make the 18, while Pat Jones and Johnly Yfeko are back in training, there is competition for places. Caldwell said he was impressed with the finishers who came on and challenged everyone this week in training to show him what they can do with lots of spots in the starting line-up for the trip to Burton Albion up for grabs.

“I would have liked to make more and would have made more,” he said of the quadruple change he made just after the hour, having already made one at half-time. “We have people coming back from injury, Demi that was the best he has looked, Reece was good, Jake was excellent, Jay got himself a chance, Vinny had moments. They can be happy with impact but as a collective we have to look at ourselves and ask for more and be more accountable and have to be ready for next week

“It is an important week. We still have a great opportunity to do something special but at the moment we are not doing enough. That is the reality. It starts with me and all have to be better to achieve what we want to achieve.”

Asked about the players who didn’t make the 18 man squad, Caldwell confirmed it was not down to injury but just competition for places and players not doing enough to make the team. But he added that after that performance, he would expect plenty of them to be demanding involvement this weekend.

“They need to do more in training and a hunger and desire to get in the team,” the manager said. “When we have results like this, if I wasn’t in the team I'd be chapping my door first thing when we come back and say why was I not in the squad and show me on the pitch why they should be. Everyone has to step up, me first as the manager, but everyone to get more points and be better

“Everyone has to come in ready to work and show they can play. We need to pick the right personnel and pick a team that we believe can go and beat Burton.

“It is great that we can leave players of quality out, but the players who are playing have to keep the shirt and if they don’t perform people have to knock on the door and show me why they should be back in the team. There are lots of places up for grabs in the team.”