Our most recent matches have been described as “The last chance saloon” with good reason, yet we still limp on in this winless run scraping draws with the occasional reverse. If the last chance saloon has been appropriate until now then this game against Accrington Stanley surely represents the “Last throw of the dice”, and the only thing that might affect our automatic promotion chances seems to be the performances of others in the race. At least on Saturday Mat Sadler’s selected team will start the game with more of a clear idea of what is needed, as the fixtures compiler has arranged (with admirable foresight) these early kick-offs:
AFC Wimbledon vs Port Vale Doncaster Rovers vs Bradford City
Those games kick off at 12.30pm so by 3 o’clock the mist might have cleared…
What of Accrington Stanley? Currently 21st in the League 2 table and realistically safe from relegation, 6 points clear of Carlisle Utd and with a far better goal difference. Morecambe, of course, have gone - National League for them next season. Current form for Stanley is better than ours (whose isn’t?)…
March 29th Bradford City (H) Drew 0-0
April 1st Fleetwood Town (H) Lost 1-4
April 5th Bromley (A) Lost 4-0
April 12th Tranmere Rovers (H) Drew 3-3
April 18th Salford City (A) Won 1-2
April 21st Carlisle Utd (H) Drew 1-1
Mat Sadler has no doubt been the recipient of much advice on team selection and tactics lately, and it is not out of the question for him to start Alfie Chang and George Hall in the hope that their footballing abilities will create better chances up front. The problem with that scenario is that we still don’t appear to have anyone who can consistently (or even now and again) benefit from those abilities and find the net. We should not need to adopt Maradona-like behaviour to score against the likes of Accrington Stanley, who have conceded 68 goals in the League this season, but there again Newport County have shipped 70 goals, and we saw how that turned out.
Prediction? It really is defaecate or bust time, especially with Crewe Alexandra on our playing horizon and the possibility of play-off games to come. If the two early fixtures above can do us any favours we should get 3 points from this one - the score is a matter of supreme indifference!!
For weeks I’ve continued to think as each game arrived that this is it we’re bound to break this winless run against these and it’s been one let down after another but surely we’re bound to break this winless run against this lot .
I hope Sadler doesn’t refer back to hoofball to jamma and approaches this do or die moment for what it really is. It should never have come to this but Mr stubborn refused to see what was happening right in front his eyes and now here we are. Despair or glory, we shall see.
Nice write up by Welshy as always but score could be highly significant. We’ll know by KO, but if Bradford lose narrowly this could go to goal difference. Going to Crewe perhaps hanging on for a draw with Bradford going for goals against Fleetwood at home. Being done out of autos on GD would sum things up at moment, we need to go for goals if we’re on top.
Simkin
Barrett / Okagbue / Williams / Allen / Assimwe
Stirk
Hall / Chang
Amantchi / *Johnson
Subs - Maher / *Harrison / Matt / L. Gordon / Jellis / McEntee / Hornby / Lakin / Daniels
Of course Johnson will not be included for whatever reason so it’d then be Harrison. That midfield should be too much for Accrington though and give us enough bite and ability to win the game #UTS
An I right in saying if donny win at lunchtime and we win this one then all we need is a point away at crewe (providing fleetwood don’t ship 4 to bradford)?
Might be a Leyton Orient Vs Gillingham moment if Crewe dont want Vale getting autos….
Will be my 2nd home game of the season.
We won 2-1 against Cheltenham on the first in August so I think a repeat.
I’m suffering from waves of unjustified optimism at the moment about our promotion prospects!
Helped by the pinot grigio I’ve opened whilst cooking tea I think.
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