Carlisle United's survival prospects could be further affected tonight - with several of their relegation rivals in action.

And there is the risk of the Blues' gap to safety increasing to ten points.

That will be the case if fifth-bottom Exeter City can win at mid-table Bristol Rovers.

Gary Caldwell's Grecians are seven points above the Blues ahead of the game against a home side managed by ex-Exeter manager Matt Taylor.

The Devon side will be chasing only a third win in 19 league games when they head to the Memorial Stadium.

Caldwell, speaking to his club's official outlets, said: "There are little details we need to get better at, but we will work on those and be ready on Tuesday to try and win a game away from home." 

Should Exeter win it would knock managerless Shrewsbury Town down to 20th.

Two sides in the relegation zone will also be looking to pull further away from second-bottom United.

Fourth-bottom Reading are at home to Derby County.

And third-bottom Cheltenham Town, who United had been due to face on Saturday, go to Bolton Wanderers - this weekend's visitors to Brunton Park.

Neither the Royals nor Robins can climb out of the bottom four tonight, but victories could put either a point behind Exeter if the Grecians slip up.

And wins for either would put them six points clear of second-bottom Carlisle.

Reading defender Andy Yiadom believes his side are capable of upsetting promotion-chasing Derby at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

"Derby are a good team but we’ve come up against good teams and we’ve done well, so hopefully we can get the three points," he told the club's website.

Reading lost to Wigan on Saturday. Cheltenham, meanwhile, take on a Bolton side whose own promotion push was checked by defeat at Leyton Orient.

Trotters boss Ian Evatt has pledged that to focus on improvement when they take on the struggling Robins.

"We have to look hard at why that happened and how we put it right for Tuesday night and Cheltenham," Evatt told the Bolton News.

Another side looking over their shoulders are Charlton Athletic, who are at home to Northampton Town tonight.

The Addicks are 16th and one of four sides on 30 points ahead of the visit of the 10th-placed Cobblers.

Elsewhere in the division, promotion-chasing rivals Oxford United and Barnsley meet at the Kassam Stadium, while Wigan Athletic host Wycombe Wanderers, the latter also in the 30-point group.