Other league 1 matches

What a fantastic opportunity to widen the gap Dave.

 

I think Cardiff should have just enough of a gap to be safe. Even on this bad run their last 5 games which goes back to the Lincoln loss saw they get 5 points, if they go 1 point a game for the rest of the season that puts them on 84 points and a big goal difference requiring us to get 20 points or Bolton getting 19 points from 8 games which is a lot especially when neither of us are in great form. Bolton most likely lost their chance when they drew with Rotherham and Doncaster.

 

I'm the eternal optimist mate.

 

Full times of the play off chasing sides:

• Orient 2-0 Wycombe
• Plymouth 3-1 Huddersfield
• Port Vale 1-0 Bolton
• Stevenage 1-0 Reading

Gap to 7th down to 6 points. 2 huge home games against Stevenage and Plymouth, certainly can't afford to lose either of them. Starting to be dragged into the chasing pack as we're now only 10 points from 11th whereas a few weeks ago it was 10 points from 7th.

 

Bolton losing at Vale is an absolute stinker for them.

 

2 points from Rotherham (A), Doncaster (H) and Port Vale (A) has killed any chances they had of automatics especially as they still have Cardiff to play. It makes things awkward for them as all of their last 7 games are against promotion/play off sides so if they are not careful they could be drawn into a fight for a play off spot, their last 7 games are:

• Plymouth (A)
• Stockport (H)
• Cardiff (A)
• Stevenage (H)
• Huddersfield (H)
• City (A)
• Luton (H)

What their form and our last few results has done is probably guarantee it will be a pick for Sky.

 

Have we named a date for the home game against Plymouth ?, I'll happily take our next two at home to Stevenage and Northampton if its not been arranged between those two ?.

 

Nothing confirmed yet but won't be before Stevenage as that game is the Saturday after Easter and next 2 Tuesdays are during the international break. It will be either 14th or 21st April so either between Stevenage (H) and Barnsley (A) or Barnsley (A) and Bolton (H). For Plymouth it will either be between Exeter (H) and Wimbledon (A) or Wimbledon (A) and Port Vale (H).

 

TBH it would be good for us if their form picked up and they took points off all of those teams in the chasing pack. It really doesn’t matter if we come third or fourth so overtaking Bolton is neither here nor there. I’d much rather see those teams behind us continue to drop points so we don’t get dragged out of the playoff places.

 

Looking at the remaining fixtures for our rivals, Bolton have a horrific run in on paper. They have to play 5 of the current top 7, plus Luton and Huddersfield.

 

Can you imagine the melt on here ? A reason why we love football, just a few days ago we battered Vale who looked like a Sunday pub side , after the beers

 

I've had look at the remaining fixtures of Bolton down to Luton as I think they are the team in the fight for the play off spots.

Looking at it from a purely statistical on average position Bolton have the hardest run in followed by Huddersfield with Plymouth and Luton with the easiest and the rest similar.

Stockport and Luton play in the EFL Trophy final on 12th April followed by a midweek game on 15th April so that will add to their fixture list and for Stockport it will mean a lot of traveling within a week with Sunday (Wembley), Wednesday (Wimbledon) and Saturday (Exeter) and before that a Easter double header against Wycombe and Bolton.

 

Liam Manning at Hudds has been granted compassionate leave until the end of the season. A competitor but still sad to hear. John Stead and Martin Drury taking over.

 

Their fans will see it as a blessing tbh.

 

Whatever we think about Huddersfield,there are more important things than football.THe loss of a young child must be devastating,and you can only wish Mr Manning and his family the time to come to terms with it,without the pressures of football management.

 

Too right , OGF , well put . What I don’t understand, as a side note, is their due diligence during his recruitment . The sad loss of their child was quite a while ago , yet it clearly severely affected him and his poor family at his previous club , hence his dismissal . I understand they still live in my area near Norwich, a flippin hike trust me?
Have they given up the season with now their third manager/ team in charge ? Football politics aside I hope they get through what is clearly a devastating time for them.

 

Stockport & Reading closing the gap at the moment.

 

Reading 2-0 up already.

Our cushion to 7th will be down to 5 points at 5pm.

Pressure game on Good Friday you would think, that is a must win game against a very poor Northampton.

 

The pack is closing in, really is a must win on Friday as the fixtures get so much tougher afterwords.

 

Worst possible scores at half time with Stockport and Reading 2-0 up and Wycombe 1-0 up.

Stockport 2 points behind as things stand and the gap to 7th (Stevenage) only 5 points. Next 3 games are huge, if they go well we'll seal out top 6 place but if they don't we could be in trouble. Northampton is must win, Wycombe and Stevenage are must not lose