Another weekend of League 2 action is upon us, and I’ll bring you your weekly review of all your teams prior to this weekend’s action.
Firstly I go away from the league, and give Cambridge United a look in before their home tie in the F.A. Cup 4th round tie at home to 11 times winners Manchester United. The U’s have exceeded expectations by reaching this stage of the competition, having overcome League 1 side Fleetwood Town in the first round, followed by a victory away to Mansfield Town and home success against Luton Town respectively. The lowest ranked side remaining in the competition, they know the odds are stacked against them, but whatever the result they are bound sure to take great confidence from this campaign.
As for League 2, the team that should have been facing them this weekend are 23rd placed Dagenham and Redbridge. For them, especially sitting where they are in the league, a weekend off is not too beneficial, especially with a couple of fixtures taking place amongst teams around them.
League leaders Wycombe face their second successive away trip as they travel to Mansfield. The Chairboys are unbeaten in 9 and travel north high on confidence, with the best away form of any team in the league, picking up 26 points on the road. As for the Stags, their form at Field Mill is rather inconsistent, knowing that a defeat will mean they have lost as many as they have won at home. They are also just one point above the drop zone in 20th position.
Second placed Burton Albion also face a team just one point above the drop zone in York City. The Brewers have only lost once in their last 9 games, having most recently salvaged a point away to Portsmouth last weekend. York on the other hand have still only won once in the league all season at Bootham Crescent, a statistic manager Russ Wilcox will be determined to amend.
Sitting in the final automatic promotion position are Shrewsbury Town, two points above Luton Town who are 4th. Salop have the strongest form of any team at home this season and remain unbeaten at New Meadow, winning 11 of their 13 fixtures there, but face a Stevenage side sitting in the playoffs, and encouraged by their 2-0 victory last week on the road against York. The Boro are in good form themselves, but know that they’ll need to be nothing short of exceptional to take all three points this weekend.
Luton Town lead the teams in the play-off places and they travel to Whaddon Road to face Cheltenham Town. The Hatters managed a 1-0 victory on the road last time out against Plymouth, whilst the Robins were involved in a 1-1 draw at home to Morecambe. Both sides need a win for different reasons, with Luton looking to maintain the pressure on the top three, whilst Cheltenham in 18th place find themselves just 3 points above the drop zone.
Newport County slipped out of the automatic promotion places last week following their uncharacteristic heavy 4-0 away defeat to Cambridge. Despite this result, they are still the in-form side in the division, picking up 18 points of a possible 24. They travel this weekend to Sixfields, to face a Northampton Town side who themselves have come off the back of back to back victories. They also boast top goalscorer Marc Richards who sits on 13 goals in 20 appearances.
Southend United, despite picking up all three points away to Oxford United last weekend, stay in 6th place, and they travel to Fratton Park to face a Pompey side who last weekend held 2nd placed Burton Albion to a 1-1 draw. Midfielder David Worrall is the Shrimpers top scorer with 5 goals, and for Pompey, they’ll be hoping that Matt Tubbs can open his account for his new club, in doing so adding to his 12 goals already this season whilst at Wimbledon.
Exeter City sit just one point behind Stevenage in the playoffs on 40 points, and they face their second away trip in a week as they travel to the Kassam Stadium. Exeter picked up all three points last time out against Mansfield, having come from 2-1 down to win 3-2. Incidentally, that’s the reverse situation that Oxford found themselves in last weekend, having led 2-1 at half time, only going on to lose 3-2. Appletons men will be looking to bounce back, having not won at the Kassam for over a month, on top of that they haven’t won in their last three games. Exeter have been relatively successful on the road, and could well push for a play-off place come Saturday evening.
The Grecians rivals, both locally and currently in the table, are Plymouth Argyle, who sit just behind in 9th. Having lost their previous home game, they’ll be looking to bounce back against a Morecambe side who, despite only winning two of their last nine, sit three points behind the Pilgrims.
Bury held league leaders Wycombe to a 1-1 draw last time out, and this weekend they face a resurging Carlisle side following their 3-1 away victory last time out against Wimbledon. Bury are just three points off the playoffs, meanwhile Carlisle are just one point above the drop. The Shakers may well be confident ahead of this fixture, knowing that the Cumbrians have conceded the most goals of any club in the football league. For Carlisle, theu know that with Dagenham and Redbridge not playing, they can move further clear of the drop by picking up points.
A.F.C Wimbledon take on Accrington Stanley at Kingsmeadow this weekend following their home defeat to Carlisle last time out. As for Accrington, they too were on the wrong end of a shock defeat, having lost 3-0 away to then 23rd placed Tranmere. Adebayo Akinfenwa is the Dons top scorer, sitting on 9 following his opener in last weekend’s fixture. Accrington however have won 4 of their last 9 games, but John Coleman understands he’ll need a strong performance against this physical Wimbledon side.
The final fixture of this weekend’s action is a potential 6 pointer and comes at Prenton Park where 22nd placed Tranmere Rovers take on bottom side Hartlepool United. As mentioned, Rovers romped to an impressive 3-0 victory last time out, with two goals coming from on loan striker Ryan Donnelly. As for the Pool, they are getting desperate for a victory, sitting 9 points behind the side above them. Ronnie Moore’s men have only one once in their previous 9 games, and have only won twice on the road.
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