Rival Watch

[tidus_mi2]

Vale equalise but they really need to win.

[tidus_mi2]

Well, suddenly Burton have gone from being almost safe to right in the shit again.

[Clyde1998]

Burton will certainly have something to play on Saturday, but it's looking increasingly likely Blackpool will also something to play for against us.

[Clyde1998]

Vale equalise but they really need to win.

2-1 Wycombe. That could be that for them unfortunately.

[tidus_mi2]

We can play our part in a potential final day relegation scrap, if we beat Burton and Fleetwood beat Leyton, they play eachother on the final day, Fleetwood win they stay up, if they don't, they go down.

[Clyde1998]

Portsmouth have won the title with two late goals against Barnsley. Bolton drew with Shrewsbury and Peterborough won against Fleetwood, leaving the final promotion space looking like:

C - Portsmouth - 94pts [+36 GD]
2 - Derby - 86pts [+38]
3 - Bolton - 83pts [+33]
4 - Peterborough - 80pts [+28; a match in hand]

Meanwhile, Oxford have lost 1-0 to Lincoln. Keeps the final play-off spot alive:

5 - Barnsley - 75pts [+19]
6 - Oxford - 73pts [+22]
7 - Lincoln - 71pts [+26]
8 - Blackpool - 70pts [+17]
9 - Stevenage - 67pts [+10]

After Cheltenham beat Burton and Port Vale lost, the picture at the bottom is:

19 - Cambridge - 46pts [-21; a match in hand]
20 - Burton - 43pts [-26]
21 - Cheltenham - 41pts [-24; a match in hand]
22 - Port Vale - 40pts [-31]
23 - Fleetwood - 37pts [-27]

Fleetwood must win both remaining games; hope Burton lose all their games and hope Cheltenham get less than two points from their final three to have a chance of staying up.

[WestYorksRoyal]

We can't save Vale. I think we'll beat Burton on Saturday but it means nothing as Vale won't pick up another point. In fact, except for Fleetwood and Burton meeting on the final day, it wouldn't surprise if the bottom 5 collectively gain 0 points for the remainder of the season.

[Stranded]

Burton will stay up on GD without picking up another point.

Cheltenham will draw one and lose 2
Vale will lose at Bolton by 2 or 3 goals before winning against Cambridge
Fleetwood will draw at Orient and beat Burton

Final table

20 - Burton 43pts (-30 GD)
21- Port Vale 43pts (-32)
22 - Cheltenham 42 (-26)
23 - Fleetwoood 41 (-26)

[Snowball]

Burton will stay up on GD without picking up another point.

Cheltenham will draw one and lose 2
Vale will lose at Bolton by 2 or 3 goals before winning against Cambridge
Fleetwood will draw at Orient and beat Burton

Final table

20 - Burton 43pts (-30 GD)
21- Port Vale 43pts (-32)
22 - Cheltenham 42 (-26)
23 - Fleetwoood 41 (-26)

Not sure I understand that, Stranded.

If Burton lose two, at the very best they will have a GD of -32. If Vale avoid a pasting at Bolton, then win v Cambridge they could be -33 or better and 46 points, anyway.

Your Cheltenham prediction puts them also on 43 points. They could stay up with a GD better than -32 with a 2-0 and 3-0 defeat as long as they get that draw.

Your prediction has Fleetwood finishing on 45 points, so unless I’ve misread you, two defeats for Burton would likely see them 23rd


+++++++++++++

Incidentally, will RFC field its strongest side for the last two games, or give a few kids a chance and maybe NOT win at Burton then possibly lose to Blackpool?

[Stranded]

Burton will stay up on GD without picking up another point.

Cheltenham will draw one and lose 2
Vale will lose at Bolton by 2 or 3 goals before winning against Cambridge
Fleetwood will draw at Orient and beat Burton

Final table

20 - Burton 43pts (-30 GD)
21- Port Vale 43pts (-32)
22 - Cheltenham 42 (-26)
23 - Fleetwoood 41 (-26)

Not sure I understand that, Stranded.

If Burton lose two, at the very best they will have a GD of -32. If Vale avoid a pasting at Bolton, then win v Cambridge they could be -33 or better and 46 points, anyway.

Your Cheltenham prediction puts them also on 43 points. They could stay up with a GD better than -32 with a 2-0 and 3-0 defeat as long as they get that draw.

Your prediction has Fleetwood finishing on 45 points, so unless I’ve misread you, two defeats for Burton would likely see them 23rd


+++++++++++++

Incidentally, will RFC field its strongest side for the last two games, or give a few kids a chance and maybe NOT win at Burton then possibly lose to Blackpool?

I think you may have confused my final table with the actual table there Ballers - Clydes post has the current table in it.

Burton as of now are on 43pts and -26GD - so gone with them losing both by 2 goals - so 43 and -30
Vale are on 40 and -31 as of today. I went with a 2 goal defeat at Bolton and a 1 goal win over Cambridge. So 43pts and -32
Cheltenham are on 41 - so if as I say, they draw 1 and lose the other 2, they only get to 42.
Fleetwood are on 37 today - if they pick up the 4 I have suggested, they go to 41.

[morganb]

Stevenage FC confirms that everyone's favourite roly-poly football manager, Steve Evans, has won his own personal World Cup by leaving his role as First Team manager to join Rotherham United

https://twitter.com/StevenageFC/status/ ... 8819288109

https://twitter.com/RotherhamUnited/sta ... 9233125861

(Sure there will be some good comments on there)

[WestYorksRoyal]

Stevenage FC confirms that everyone's favourite roly-poly football manager, Steve Evans, has won his own personal World Cup by leaving his role as First Team manager to join Rotherham United

https://twitter.com/StevenageFC/status/ ... 8819288109

https://twitter.com/RotherhamUnited/sta ... 9233125861

(Sure there will be some good comments on there)

Obvious step. Evans + Rotherham is the most stereotyped L1 promotion winning combo imaginable. And so ends Stevenage's over achievement - possible relegation candidates next season.

[Silver Fox]

I heard he lives in a van down by the river

[Mr Angry]

Thats an amazingly shitty thing for Steve Evans to have done to Stevanage at this stage of their season; their fans must be in meltdown on their fans forums!

And if anyone needed any proof that Evans is a thoroughly unpleasant bloke, this is it.

And Graham Westley has returned to manage Stevanage again! Talk about a revolving door recruitment policy!!!!

[Snowflake Royal]

Stevenage FC confirms that everyone's favourite roly-poly football manager, Steve Evans, has won his own personal World Cup by leaving his role as First Team manager to join Rotherham United

https://twitter.com/StevenageFC/status/ ... 8819288109

https://twitter.com/RotherhamUnited/sta ... 9233125861

(Sure there will be some good comments on there)

Obvious step. Evans + Rotherham is the most stereotyped L1 promotion winning combo imaginable. And so ends Stevenage's over achievement - possible relegation candidates next season.

Yeah, they've overachieved throughout the first two thirds of the season, that's then caught up with them of the inevitability of death and taxes, their manager has jumped ship, finishing on a downer (1 win in 6 as we speak).

Got second season syndrome written all over it.

[Snowball]

Burton will stay up on GD without picking up another point.

Cheltenham will draw one and lose 2
Vale will lose at Bolton by 2 or 3 goals before winning against Cambridge
Fleetwood will draw at Orient and beat Burton

Final table

20 - Burton 43pts (-30 GD)
21- Port Vale 43pts (-32)
22 - Cheltenham 42 (-26)
23 - Fleetwoood 41 (-26)

Not sure I understand that, Stranded.

If Burton lose two, at the very best they will have a GD of -32. If Vale avoid a pasting at Bolton, then win v Cambridge they could be -33 or better and 46 points, anyway.

Your Cheltenham prediction puts them also on 43 points. They could stay up with a GD better than -32 with a 2-0 and 3-0 defeat as long as they get that draw.

Your prediction has Fleetwood finishing on 45 points, so unless I’ve misread you, two defeats for Burton would likely see them 23rd


+++++++++++++

Incidentally, will RFC field its strongest side for the last two games, or give a few kids a chance and maybe NOT win at Burton then possibly lose to Blackpool?

I think you may have confused my final table with the actual table there Ballers - Clydes post has the current table in it.

Burton as of now are on 43pts and -26GD - so gone with them losing both by 2 goals - so 43 and -30
Vale are on 40 and -31 as of today. I went with a 2 goal defeat at Bolton and a 1 goal win over Cambridge. So 43pts and -32
Cheltenham are on 41 - so if as I say, they draw 1 and lose the other 2, they only get to 42.
Fleetwood are on 37 today - if they pick up the 4 I have suggested, they go to 41.

UNDERSTOOD, my bad

Thank-you

[skipper]

I think Oxford will go up this year. They've clicked. And I'm frankly very happy that we're not playing them now. Though we have got better too... even so, they seem significantly better than they were earlier in the season.

I never want them in a higher division than us. This season is our low point in 25 years and their high point; we avoided defeat in both games, and now I want them to stay down so we can restore natural order next season.

However I will concede they're hitting form at the right time. If they beat Lincoln tomorrow that is 6th place basically sewn up, and then we're all supporting Bolton in the play-offs. Hopefully they lose Brannagan if they stay down - surely he can't belong in L1 much longer?

Er, that’s not likely

Can we have both teams to lose, please ?

Agreed.

Oxford, for my money, are a one man team tbh. Lose Brannagan and they fall apart.

That said he has proved over and again he is ultra loyal.

[Sutekh]

I never want them in a higher division than us. This season is our low point in 25 years and their high point; we avoided defeat in both games, and now I want them to stay down so we can restore natural order next season.

However I will concede they're hitting form at the right time. If they beat Lincoln tomorrow that is 6th place basically sewn up, and then we're all supporting Bolton in the play-offs. Hopefully they lose Brannagan if they stay down - surely he can't belong in L1 much longer?

Er, that’s not likely

Can we have both teams to lose, please ?

Agreed.

Oxford, for my money, are a one man team tbh. Lose Brannagan and they fall apart.

That said he has proved over and again he is ultra loyal.

Joey Beauchamp was ultra loyal to Oxford, even when he did move he couldn't settle and came back again. Even moving to Swindon was too far.

[leon]

Er, that’s not likely

Can we have both teams to lose, please ?

Agreed.

Oxford, for my money, are a one man team tbh. Lose Brannagan and they fall apart.

That said he has proved over and again he is ultra loyal.

Joey Beauchamp was ultra loyal to Oxford, even when he did move he couldn't settle and came back again. Even moving to Swindon was too far.

I would have thought Blackbird Leys -> East Ham would have been a home from home.

[Sutekh]

A win for Lincoln tomorrow puts them back into the play offs at the expense of Oxford. Lincoln are visiting Cheltenham.