The Run In | Page 6 | Vital Football

The Run In

Interesting round of fixtures on Saturday. Ignoring the top 2, every single team in the frame is away (except Colchester).
 
That should be us in the PO's now. It'd be a drop in form of Mansfield proportions to miss out with being 4 points in and two in hand.

Two in hand are Coventry and Wycombe so losing those don't really have an impact in terms of those outside the PO's.
 
Here are the remaining fixtures for each club (in order):

Updated 14/4/18

ACCRINGTON
Yeovil (H)
Wycombe (A)
Newport (A)
Lincoln (H)
Swindon (A)
Current points: 84
Games remaining: 5
Maximum points: 99
Verdict: Need 2 points from 5 games for automatic promotion.

LUTON
Carlisle (A)
Forest Green (H)
Notts County (A)
Current points: 83
Games remaining: 3
Maximum points: 92
Verdict: Only need 1 more win to go up automatically.

WYCOMBE
Lincoln (A)
Accrington (H)
Chesterfield (A)
Stevenage (H)
Current points: 77
Games remaining: 4
Maximum points: 89
Verdict: Almost assured of a play-off place, and need 3 wins to be up automatically.

EXETER:
Chesterfield (H)
Crawley (H)
Stevenage (A)
Colchester (H)
Current points: 73
Games remaining: 4
Maximum points: 85
Verdict: Will be in the play-offs, and could challenge for third if Wycombe falter.

NOTTS COUNTY
Yeovil (H)
Grimsby (A)
Luton (H)
Current points: 73
Games remaining: 3
Maximum points: 82
Verdict: Their form since Christmas has been relegation form, but two unexpected wins over Coventry and Colchester have made a play-off spot very likely.

LINCOLN
Wycombe (H)
Colchester (H)
Coventry (A)
Accrington (A)
Yeovil (H)
Current points: 67
Games remaining: 5
Maximum points: 82
Verdict: Still have at least one game in hand on everyone else. Three wins and a draw will take City to the play-offs.

COVENTRY
Stevenage (H)
Lincoln (H)
Cheltenham (A)
Morecambe (H)
Current points: 68
Games remaining: 4
Maximum points: 80
Verdict: Automatic promotion has gone. The result of the game against Lincoln may determine their destiny.

MANSFIELD
Port Vale (H)
Yeovil (A)
Crawley (H)
Current points: 67
Games remaining: 3
Maximum points: 76
Verdict: Not a bad set of fixtures on paper, but they have picked up just 7 points from Flitcroft's first 9 games. Realistically need 3 wins out of 3 to make the play-offs.

SWINDON
Grimsby (H)
Colchester (A)
Accrington (H)
Current points: 64
Games remaining: 3
Maximum points: 73
Verdict: Tough final two games in particular. With a very poor goal difference (0), Swindon must be out of the race.

CARLISLE and COLCHESTER now out of contention after today's results.
 
5 matches to go

Champions: 93 points (-1)
3rd: 83 points (+2)
7th: 74 points (unchanged)
Lincoln City: 7th (-1) 74 points (-1)
 
4 matches to go

Champions: 93 points (unchanged)
3rd: 83 points (unchanged)
7th: 74 points (unchanged)
Lincoln City: 7th (unchanged) 74 points (unchanged)
8th: 73 points
 
Here are the remaining fixtures for each club (in order):

Updated 17/4/18

ACCRINGTON
Wycombe (A)
Newport (A)
Lincoln (H)
Swindon (A)
Current points: 87
Games remaining: 4
Maximum points: 99
Verdict: Need 6 points from 4 games to take the title.

LUTON
Carlisle (A)
Forest Green (H)
Notts County (A)
Current points: 83
Games remaining: 3
Maximum points: 92
Verdict: Almost there - 2 points will be enough for automatic promotion because of their vastly superior goal difference.

WYCOMBE
Accrington (H)
Chesterfield (A)
Stevenage (H)
Current points: 78
Games remaining: 3
Maximum points: 87
Verdict: Now guaranteed a play-off place, and need to win all 3 to definitely be up automatically.

EXETER:
Crawley (H)
Stevenage (A)
Colchester (H)
Current points: 76
Games remaining: 3
Maximum points: 85
Verdict: Need 1 point to be in the play-offs, and could still take the third automatic spot despite an inferior goal difference.

NOTTS COUNTY
Yeovil (H)
Grimsby (A)
Luton (H)
Current points: 73
Games remaining: 3
Maximum points: 82
Verdict: Their superior goal difference over Mansfield realistically means they need 3 more points to be in the play-offs.

LINCOLN
Colchester (H)
Coventry (A)
Accrington (A)
Yeovil (H)
Current points: 68
Games remaining: 4
Maximum points: 80
Verdict: Still have one game in hand on every side outside the top 7. Three wins will guarantee City a play-off place, but two wins and a draw should be enough.

COVENTRY
Stevenage (H)
Lincoln (H)
Cheltenham (A)
Morecambe (H)
Current points: 68
Games remaining: 4
Maximum points: 80
Verdict: Automatic promotion has gone. The result of the game against Lincoln may determine their destiny.

MANSFIELD
Port Vale (H)
Yeovil (A)
Crawley (H)
Current points: 67
Games remaining: 3
Maximum points: 76
Verdict: Not a bad set of fixtures on paper, but they have picked up just 7 points from Flitcroft's first 9 games. Realistically need 3 wins out of 3 to stand a chance of making the play-offs.

SWINDON
Grimsby (H)
Colchester (A)
Accrington (H)
Current points: 64
Games remaining: 3
Maximum points: 73
Verdict: Tough final two games in particular. With a very poor goal difference (0), Swindon must be out of the race.
 
3 horse race for 2 play off places. Predicted run in results:

Coventry 1-0 Lincoln

Accrington 1-0 Lincoln
Cheltenham 1-0 Coventry
Yeovil 1-0 Mansfield

Coventry 1-0 Morecambe
Lincoln 3-0 Yeovil
Mansfield 2-1 Crawley
 
A win at Coventry and a draw at Accrington would leave both sets of fans in the latter match very happy indeed.
 
Scotimp said:
73 points will not be enough to finish 7th. It will take 76 or possibly 77.
Click to expand...
Funny how it works out. That 73 doesn't look a bad call. As usual the pressure has told, 75 will be the maximum required, less than that if Mansfield don't win their last two.
 
Impecunious said:
Funny how it works out. That 73 doesn't look a bad call. As usual the pressure has told, 75 will be the maximum required, less than that if Mansfield don't win their last two.
Click to expand...

It all depends on Mansfield, and they can barely buy a win a the moment - our current 71 may be enough. Let's not put that to the test, though.

A draw wouldn't hurt us or Coventry on Tuesday, if either side wins they're pretty well certain to qualify.
 
Here are the remaining fixtures for each club (in order):

Updated 21/4/18

ACCRINGTON
Newport (A)
Lincoln (H)
Swindon (A)
Current points: 90
Games remaining: 3
Maximum points: 99
Verdict: Need 1 point from 3 games to take the title. Should be in the bag by the time Lincoln roll up next Saturday - difficult to see them losing to Newport on Tuesday.

LUTON
Forest Green (H)
Notts County (A)
Current points: 83
Games remaining: 2
Maximum points: 90
Verdict: Will finish second.

WYCOMBE
Chesterfield (A)
Stevenage (H)
Current points: 78
Games remaining: 2
Maximum points: 84
Verdict: Already guaranteed at least a play-off place, but being chased down all the time by Exeter (1 point behind) and Notts County (2 points behind). In their hands - need to win both remaining games to take the third auto spot.

EXETER:
Stevenage (A)
Colchester (H)
Current points: 77
Games remaining: 2
Maximum points: 83
Verdict: Already guaranteed at least a play-off spot, and could still take the third automatic spot despite an inferior goal difference. Two tough games to end with, though.

NOTTS COUNTY
Grimsby (A)
Luton (H)
Current points: 76
Games remaining: 2
Maximum points: 82
Verdict: Already in the play-offs, and could still take the third auto spot after three excellent wins.

LINCOLN
Coventry (A)
Accrington (A)
Yeovil (H)
Current points: 71
Games remaining: 3
Maximum points: 80
Verdict: City need 4 points from their remaining 3 games to guarantee a play-off place, but a win at Coventry on Tuesday may well be enough.

COVENTRY
Lincoln (H)
Cheltenham (A)
Morecambe (H)
Current points: 71
Games remaining: 3
Maximum points: 80
Verdict: The game against Lincoln could determine the destiny of both teams - I wonder whether both would be very happy indeed with a draw? Cheltenham away is no walk in the park, and Morecambe on the last day could be in need of a point to stay up. Interesting.

MANSFIELD
Yeovil (A)
Crawley (H)
Current points: 68
Games remaining: 2
Maximum points: 74
Verdict: Mansfield have picked up just 8 points from Flitcroft's first 10 games, and have just two wins from their last 11 games. Realistically need to win both remaining games to stand any chance of making the play-offs.
 
Just looking at past seasons we need one more win in the run in to match our highest points total in the 5 consecutive years of play-offs. If we can beat it that would be a great achievement in Cowley's first ever League 2 season.
 
City need one point to be mathematically sure of a play-off place and can still make that third automatic spot. Every team has two games to play.

Saturday 28 April:
Accrington v Lincoln
Cheltenham v Coventry
Chesterfield v Wycombe
Grimsby v Notts County
Stevenage v Exeter
Yeovil v Mansfield

Saturday 5 May:
Coventry v Morecambe
Exeter v Colchester
Lincoln v Yeovil
Mansfield v Crawley
Notts County v Luton
Wycombe v Stevenage
 
Just noticing the goal difference between Mansfield and Coventry has swung in Mansfield's favour after last night. Games remaining are.
Chelt v Coventry
Coventry v Morecambe

Yeovil v Mansfield
Mansfield v Crawley

Mansfield need the mentality that the playoffs are still in their hands if they can win both remaining games. Coventry have a tricky fixture at Cheltenham on Saturday.
Got me thinking- Notts County in the Semi and beating Mansfield in the final at Wembley. How good would that be? I don't think I could be happier after that if England won the World Cup.
 
Remember, we are not 100% there yet. Now City teams of the past may have blown their chance by losing the last two games 3 or 4-0, but not the Cowley team. Think we will cement our 6th place finish, and to be honest I think we will be playing Exeter in the Semi-Final. For some reason I have had a vision of the Red and white stripes battle in my head. Now that will be a difficult couple of games, but we are in the ascendancy. I couldn't afford to get a ticket or travel for our Checkatrade Trophy final at Wembley, but will be able to IF we get there for the play-off final.
The only concern I have is the amount of abuse, laughter and general ill feeling and venom we will get from our neighbours should we fail to go up.
It is one reason why I pray we can do it, and get to the next station on the Lincoln Loco journey.
 
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