League 2 has a big Saturday ahead with all 24 teams in action for what should be another exciting weekend of football.
League leaders Wycombe have their first home game in two weeks, coming off the back of two draws on the road. They host 18th placed Portsmouth who are the out of form team in the league, having not won in eight games; drawing three and losing five. Wycombe meanwhile are in-form despite the past two games. Unbeaten in 10 games, and having scored the joint highest number of goals at home (40), the Chairboys will be full of confidence for this upcoming fixture. Dropping points in draws on the road may cause for concern for Gareth Ainsworth’s side, and will be aware that picking up all three points will keep them the top club in the league. Andy Awford meanwhile is coming under pressure from the Fratton Park faithful, and only results and points will see his and his club’s fortunes change.
Shrewsbury are the new side sitting in second following their five goal thriller at home against Stevenage last time out. Like Wycombe, they are an in-form side, having lost just once of their previous eight fixtures. They are the only top seven side to play away this weekend and travel to Rodney Parade, to face a side that, despite back to back defeats on the road, are still in form themselves. Newport County have won five of their previous eight, but conceding seven goals in just two games will be a concern for Justin Edinburgh and his side. They have slipped from automatic promotion places into the playoffs, and are aware they need to regain momentum with victories, easier said than done when faced with this Shrewsbury side, who have the best defence in the league, conceding just 18, and joint second meanest goals tally, with 39. James Collins and Andy Mangan have netted 20 between them, whilst Newport have goals in Aaron O’Connor and Chris Zebroski, scoring 14 respectively.
Despite drawing, like Wycombe, their previous two fixtures on the road, Burton Albion are the league’s team to beat, having been unbeaten in their last eight games, winning four. The Brewers are currently on a five home match unbeaten run and host Bury. The Shakers held leaders Wycombe to a draw a couple of weeks ago, and have lost only twice in their last eight, having won their previous two. They occupy the final play-off place, and following their victory Tuesday night are three points clear of the chasing pack, and two behind Newport. It could be a tough affair, with both sides playing well and picking up points. Bury meanwhile have goals in the three Danny’s; Rose, Nardiello and Mayor, notching up 22 goals between them, but will be up against one of the tightest home defences in the league, with the Brewers conceding just eight at the Pirelli Stadium.
Into the playoffs and 4th placed Luton Town host rivals Cambridge United at Kenilworth Road. Cambridge have a fixture congestion at the moment, having played Tuesday night in a 1-1 draw at home to Dagenham and Redbridge, with a fourth round F.A Cup replay away to Manchester United to come too. Despite this, they are playing well, having acquired midfield youngster Cameron McGeehan on loan from Norwich, who has scored three goals in three league games. They are also unbeaten in their last three league fixtures and have a game in hand on the opposition above them. Luton lead the pile in the playoffs, and will surely boast a bumper crowd for this fixture, with Mark Cullen looking to add to his eight goals and push the Hatters into automatic promotion places.
Southend United sit in fifth, having previously won twice on the road. At Roots Hall, Southend have the joint best home defence in the league, but their goalscoring tally isn’t quite as impressive, despite scoring five in their last two fixtures. Also in those fixtures, they have seen two sending offs, three including manager Phil Brown away to Oxford, something he’ll need to change if his side are striving for promotion. They host a York City side who have been an awful lot more successful on the road than at home this season. The Minstermen have won only once at home, with their other four victories coming on the road. Despite their disappointing league postion and being one of the many clubs heavily involved in a relegation battle, they did manage to hold, and nearly beat, a Burton Albion side last time out, with the Brewers’ leveller coming just three minutes from time.
Out of the playoffs are Stevenage following their defeat last time out away to Shrewsbury. They now sit, following Bury’s victory on Tuesday night, three points behind the Shakers, and will look to redeem that gap when they host an Oxford United side that haven’t won in their previous four games. Just behind Burton in the form table are Stevenage who, despite losing twice in their last eight games, have picked up the same amount of points as the Brewers – 16 in their last eight.
Oxford meanwhile are struggling, and currently leading the pile of clubs heavily involved in this relegation battle in 16th place, just three points clear. The U’s rescued a point last time out at home to Exeter with a 92nd minute equaliser from youngster James Roberts, with top scorer Danny Hylton netting his 12th also in that 2-2 draw. Both sides need the win for different reasons, but the U’s defence will have to be alert as the Boro are third highest scorers for goals at home.
Exeter City, who dropped points last time out against Oxford United, host 21st placed Tranmere, with the Grecians sitting ninth, three points off the playoffs. Exeter have picked up four points from their last two away games, scoring five, but are aware that they have lost back to back home games prior those results. They will also be aware that despite sitting where they are, the Rovers side have only lost once in their last eight, with loan striker Ryan Donnelly having scored a couple for Micky Adams already. The Grecians have goals though, with Tom Nichols netting 10 in just 21 appearances.
Plymouth Argyle sit in tenth and have the same points as the two sides above them. They travel to bottom of the league Hartlepool United, who themselves have only one win in their last eight. The Pool also have the second worst defence at home this season, concededing 20. Despite the mountainous task that lay ahead for Hartlepool, being nine points away from safety, Plymouth themselves haven’t won in six games, following their 1-1 draw at home to Morecambe last time out. They do boast top scorer Reuben Reid who has found the net 12 times, but they need all three points if they are to regain access to the playoffs. For Hartlepool, they simply just need to get points on the board now, otherwise Ronnie Moore’s men are destined for relegation.
Following their home victory last time out, 13th placed Wimbledon travel to 11th placed Morecambe who have drawn their previous four games. Last time out they held Plymouth to a 1-1 draw at Home Park, and before that the same scoreline away to Cheltenham Town. I don’t think Jim Bentley will be too concerned, as his side are still picking up points, and you could argue that they would be a good outside bet on reaching the playoffs. As for the Dons, you couldn’t rule them out either, especially with top scorer Adebayo Akinfenwa knocking in nine this season. Neil Ardley has made some decent signings to try and improve the consistency, with winger Alfie Potter arriving from Oxford United, and young striker Craig Tanner in on loan from Reading.
Another mid table clash comes at the Crown Ground where Accrington Stanley host Northampton Town. These two sides couldn’t currently be in more opposing form, with Accrington suffering three straight defeats, but Northampton winning three games back to back, most recently a thumping 3-0 home victory against Newport County. Thanks to League Two top scorer Marc Richards, Northampton are currently joint top scorers with 40 goals, 13 coming from Richards. As for Accrington, they need a win, sitting on 33 points before kick-off, just three points above Oxford in the relegation battle.
Two fixtures left to review; the first coming from the Victoria Ground where Dagenham and Redbridge host Cheltenham Town. Following the Daggers draw away to Cambridge Tuesday evening, they move out of the relegation zone on goal difference, but themselves and the Robins are both heavily involved in this battle. Cheltenham held Luton Town to a 1-1 draw last time out, and prior to that they thumped promotion hopefuls Newport County 4-0. Both of these results came at Whaddon Road, and it’ll be interesting to see how they fare on the road. As for Dagenham, they have won only once in their last eight games, and have scored only twice in their last six.
The final game, like the previous, involves two clubs at the wrong end of the League Two table. Carlisle slip back into the relegation zone following The Daggers point on Tuesday, and more of a concern, they have the worst defence in the league both at home, and overall. The Cumbrians need points, as do their opponents Mansfield, who sit in 20th. Adam Murray has made some aquasitions in players of late, and his side held Wycombe to a credible draw last time out, before that, losing late on at home to Exeter. The Stags haven’t won in five games, but any points for these sides at this stage of the season could become vital.
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