There is another full set of fixtures in Skybet League 2 on Saturday as the race for automatic promotion really continues to fascinate many observers. The race for the playoffs is equally as tight so another intriguing day is in store in the bottom division.
Saturday’s fixtures are as follows:
Accrington v York
Wimbledon v Leyton Orient
Bristol Rovers v Exeter
Crawley v Carlisle
Luton v Newport
Mansfield v Barnet
Morecambe v Stevenage
Notts County v Cambridge
Oxford Utd v Hartlepool
Plymouth v Dag & Red
Portsmouth v Wycombe
Yeovil v Northampton
Promotion picture
This is set to be a massive day in the race for the automatic promotion spots. Going into this set of matches second placed Accrington and fifth placed Bristol Rovers are separated by just two points so there is all to play for.
Three of the four sides involved in the race face what you would call comfortable matches. Oxford, Accrington and Plymouth all play at home and all to sides in the bottom half of the table. Oxford face Hartlepool, Accrington can relegate York and Plymouth face already relegated Dagenham & Redbridge.
You would think this will be three comfortable home wins but this division doesn’t work like that and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if one of those three slip up. I guess from a pressure point of view Accrington would be most likely but actually given their home form Oxford could be the vulnerable ones.
Bristol Rovers host an Exeter side who have had a couple of poor results in the last week or so but are still playing for a place in the playoffs so there is nothing easy about that. Rovers really need to win to keep up with the pace so that looks an interesting game.
Playoff hunt
Two places in the playoffs are already secure but the other two places are up for grabs. At the minute Portsmouth and Wimbledon hold the advantage but they both host members of the chasing pack on Saturday so defeats for either could really bring a number of sides into play.
Portsmouth host Wycombe, a side renowned for being better away from home than they are at home while Wimbledon host Leyton Orient who right now you could probably say the same about. It wouldn’t surprise me if one of the two away sides get a win in those matches.
If either do slip up then as well as they side they lose to they could also bring the likes of Cambridge, Exeter and even Mansfield and Luton back into the picture. Cambridge head to Notts County on Saturday while Mansfield host Barnet and Luton welcome Newport to Kenilworth Road. It goes without saying that the chasers have to win.
Rest of the table
York will be relegated if they don’t win at Accrington or if Newport avoid defeat at Luton and other than that there isn’t too much more going on in the division now. Dagenham have already been relegated while a number of sides look to have run their race and headed for the beach already given that the relegation spots look sewn up.
Betting
I find this a really tricky set of fixtures to bet on and it isn’t helped by this being the third match in eight days for everyone. I’m so tempted to take Hartlepool at Oxford having had success taking Oxford on last week but not quite enough.
Wycombe are another side I considered taking as Portsmouth are limping over the line this season but the Chairboys are winless in five which negates their potential. In the end I’m going with just the one bet.
Morecambe go into their match with Stevenage having shipped 13 goals in their last three matches with five and seven coming in individual games. They have been plummeting for a while now and based on midweek the bleeding doesn’t to be stopping anytime soon.
Stevenage aren’t the best side in the world but they have a young side with enough to play for to maintain their concentration and their discipline. The manager is eyeing up a permanent deal as are a number of the players and this is a chance to really impress.
It probably isn’t the day to go mad in this division and the value in this match is probably quite cramped given that neither side have any competitive things to play for but Stevenage shouldn’t be the outsiders with the way Morecambe are leaking goals so I’ll take them without the draw in play.
Tips
WON – Back Stevenage (0AH) to beat Morecambe for a 4/10 stake at 2.00 with Winner Sports
Back them here:
