Wednesday, April 20, 2011

The Run Ins!

It’s a race that’s set to go right to the wire at the foot of the Football League and although there are other who could be dragged into the battle, four teams, one of them the Cobblers, are quaking in their boots as they are set for four of the biggest gamin their histories.

Looking at the ruin ins, there’s a couple of names popping up like Port Vale and Accrington who play two teams involved in the scrap and they will have a massive say on who will join them next season if they are to stay in League Two themselves.

The Cobblers have two tough home games against Rotherham and Stevenage but trips to Stockport and Morecambe are winnable despite a lousy record on the road for Gatry Johnson’s men.

Rock bottom County will have to win on Saturday if they’re to stand any chance of clawing away at us on Monday with a genuine hope of survival. They visit Port Vale in preparation for a game in which we could conceivably relegate the Hatters. If they have any last gasp hopes after that they will rest on a visit to Crewe and a home clash with Cheltenham.

Barnet’s short run that sparked their season back into life was halted last week when Martin Allen defected to League One Notts County and the team lost on the pitch 2-0 at Bury. That was a baptism of fire for new caretaker boss Giuliano Grazioli and Saturday’s trip to Gillingham isn’t much more appealing. On Monday the Bees at home to Oxford before travelling to Accrington on the penultimate weekend. But they finish at hom and you wouldn’t bet against them having something to fight for when Port Vale come to Underhill on the last day.

Burton, meanwhile, off the back of four points gathered in the last two games, take on Aldershot this Saturday at the EBB Stadium and return home for a clash with promotion chasing Torquay on Monday. Then it’s Southend away before they host Accrington on May 7th.

So who’s your money on? To me Stockport are near enough gone with a massive task ahead of them and though I take no joy out of the thought, I have a feeling the the Cobblers will play a role in sealing their fate on Monday. I hope and pray that I’m right with Barnet as well simply because their momentum is seemingly gone along with their saviour to be. Unless Mr Grazioli can steer his men to at least four points this weekend then I reckon it could be curtains for them.

I wouldn’t like to hold those predictions up too much though as I just know it could come back to haunt me but I still believe that it could go to the last day. After the last few weeks though, anything can happen, anyone can be dragged in and there’s bound to be another twist or two along the way. Hopefully, for our sake, not too big of a twist!

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