After three games in eight days the table is still changing, and it’s ever closer at the top, with Carlisle and Northampton goalless on Saturday. Tuesday night brings a busy set of fixtures, with everyone except for Wimbledon and Crewe playing, including the potentially promotion-determining clash between Carlisle and Stockport. Meanwhile, Stevenage’s 2-1 win displaces Stockport in third, Mansfield are back in the play-off spots, and Bradford took advantage of draws above them to move even on points with Carlisle and Stockport with their win over bottom-placed Rochdale, but with a game in hand over both teams, making them serious automatic promotion contenders.
At the other end of the table Rochdale’s loss to Bradford sees their fate pretty much determined, with confirmation of their relegation to the National League likely to come in the next seven days. Hartlepool also lost away to Newport, ending their run of eight games without a loss. However, Crawley managed to clinch three points at home to Tranmere Rovers, taking them two points above Hartlepool. Harrogate’s draw with Doncaster takes them to 42 points, but with a game in hand. Colchester’s 1-0 win over promotion hopefuls Salford takes them six points clear of relegation, but not safe yet.
Leyton Orient’s 2-0 win over Sutton had Sky Sports inaccurately reporting that they’d been promoted, but they only need one more point to guarantee League One football next season. No doubt the result of Tuesday’s ties will go some way to determining who joins them, so let’s now look at each one of our midweek ties…
Harrogate Town v Walsall – 7.45pm Tuesday 18th April 2023 – Wetherby Road
Harrogate’s draw with Doncaster on Saturday represented their fourth successive draw, but grinding out the points will get them to safety, especially if they can capitalise on their game in hand. They’ll have been disappointed to not come away with three points given Doncaster’s recent form, but they came back from 2-0 down for the third time, and the draw takes them to 21st and three points clear of Hartlepool in 23rd, with a game in hand, and a much better goal difference. On Tuesday night Harrogate will be looking to take advantage of Walsall’s recent record to further consolidate their position.
Walsall’s Saturday didn’t go as they would have planned, with two first half Crewe goals and now without a win in their last six games. To make their day worse, in the 61st minute substitute Joss Labadie was sent off for a second yellow card, Walsall’s second red card in a week, followed shortly by a red for Walsall’s Wayne Hatswell for his protest over the dismissal from the bench. Tom Knowles was a stand out for an otherwise benign Walsall team, with some good efforts at goals, and he’ll be looking to make an impression on Tuesday’s game at Harrogate.
Form:
Harrogate: WDDDD
Goals Scored: 8
Goals Conceded: 7
Walsall: LDLDL
Goals Scored: 3
Goals Conceded: 9
Previous meeting:
Walsall 3-1 Harrogate Town – 25th October 2022
Danny Johnson 14’, Liam Gordon 18’, Isaac Hutchinson 34’ – Matty Daly 83’
Salford City v Hartlepool United – 7.45pm Tuesday 18th April 2022 – Peninsula Stadium
Salford slipped out of the play-off positions again as their 0-1 loss at home to Colchester saw them displaced by Mansfield. Noah Chilvers’ first-half goal was the only one of the match, and much needed from a Colchester side trying to put as much as space as they can between themselves and 23rd place in the league. Goalkeeper Alex Cairns played a huge part in keeping it to a single goal loss, as the home team pushed hard to equalise in the second half. Salford will be desperate to take three points at home on Tuesday, as the visitors scramble for points at the bottom of the league. Salford need to return to form in order to get back into play-off contention, and both teams will be acutely aware of the stakes going into the tie.
Hartlepool’s recently improved form took a hit on Saturday as they suffered their first loss in nine games and saw a return to the relegation zone. With two first-half goals, Newport dominated the tie, with Hartlepool barely registering any shots on target. Like their opponents, John Askey’s side will be going into the game committed to three points, which should make it an enjoyable game for neutrals. On paper, Salford would be expected to come out on top, but Hartlepool likely still have some surprises up their blue sleeves this season.
Form:
Salford: WDLWL
Goals scored: 7
Goals conceded: 7
Hartlepool: DWWDL
Goals scored: 8
Goals conceded: 6
Previous meeting:
Hartlepool United 0-2 Salford City – 25th October 2022
Ryan Leak 26’, Ethan Galbraith 90’+3
Swindon Town v Bradford City – 7.45pm Tuesday 18th April 2023 – County Ground
Swindon managed their first draw in five games on Saturday, with a goalless tie against an in-form Barrow chasing play-offs. Charlie Austin made a return but off the pitch the team remain unsettled with fans criticising manager Jody Morris, and technical director Sandro Di Michele. Despite being disappointed by their failure to convert some fantastic attempts on goal, the Swindon team and management will be relieved to be back to scoring points.
Bradford travel to The County Ground fresh from their 3-0 defeat of Rochdale at the Spotland Stadium, and Mark Hughes’ side find them in an excellent position to push for automatic promotion. They’ll be hoping for the same kind of straight-forward win against Swindon as they had on Saturday to boost their chances as they head into their final games of the season which include Gillingham, Northampton, and league leaders Leyton Orient on the last day of the season.
Form:
Swindon: LLLLD
Goals scored: 3
Goals conceded: 8
Bradford: DWDWW
Goals scored: 9
Goals conceded: 3
Previous meeting:
Bradford City 1-1 Swindon Town – 25th October 2022
Tyreik Wright 31’ – Luke Jephcott 90’+2
Newport County v Mansfield Town – 7.45pm Tuesday 18th April 2023 – Rodney Parade
Newport go in to Tuesday’s game assured of League Two football in 23-24 following their decisive win over Hartlepool on Saturday. Mansfield will make formidable opposition though, as they work to secure their play-offs position after swapping places with Salford again after the weekend’s fixtures. With their last meeting in October a goalless draw, Newport and Mansfield’s head to head record is fairly well-balanced, with six wins for Newport, and eight for Mansfield, from 21 meetings.
After their 1-1 draw at Grimsby, Mansfield will be looking to emulate Stockport and aim for a high goal count against Newport, making it eight games unbeaten. They are only ahead of Salford on goals scored, a position that must feel incredibly fragile, especially as their run-in includes Stevenage and Leyton Orient at one end of the table, and Harrogate and Colchester at the other – all teams for whom the stakes are also very high.
Form:
Newport: WDWLW
Goals scored: 8
Goals conceded: 5
Mansfield: DWWDD
Goals scored: 10
Goals conceded: 5
Previous meeting:
Mansfield Town 0-0 Newport County – 25th October 2022
Carlisle United v Stockport County – 7.45pm Tuesday 18th April 2023 – Brunton Park
Carlisle come off their goalless draw with 2nd placed Northampton grateful to goalkeeper Tomas Holy who successfully defended 16 shots on target. This means that of their last seven matches, they have failed to score in six of them. This tie with Stockport, currently sitting one place of them in 4th, with a slightly better goal difference, is an opportunity to bolster their goal difference and put space between them and their promotion rivals.
Stockport equalised in the 89th minute of their tie against Gillingham on Saturday, in a tie that finished 1-1. Stockport keeper Ben Hinchliffe delivered some excellent saves throughout, demonstrating how important a role he has played in the Hatters’ first campaign back in the EFL. Stevenage’s win forced County into 4th position in the league, and points against Carlisle on Tuesday will be vital if they are aiming for automatic promotion.
Form:
Carlisle: LLWDD
Goals scored: 2
Goals conceded: 2
Stockport: WDWWD
Goals scored: 8
Goals conceded: 2
Previous meeting:
Stockport County 2-0 Carlisle United – 25th October 2022
Myles Hippolyte 20’, Kyle Wootton 57’
Stevenage v Doncaster Rovers – 7.45pm Tuesday 18th April 2023 – Broadhall Way
Stevenage joined Leyton Orient and Bradford as the only top ten teams to come away from Saturday with three points. Stevenage’s 2-1 win over AFC Wimbledon, their first in six games, moved them into 3rd, displacing Stockport County, and putting them just one point behind Northampton who were held to a draw by Carlisle. With Northampton facing 10th placed Sutton on Tuesday night, Stevenage will be hoping to take advantage of Doncaster’s recent form to take three points.
Doncaster managed to end their losing streak with a 2-2 draw against Harrogate on Saturday, and were two goals up before Harrogate clawed two back. This will be a significant challenge for them, especially given their recent form, and Stevenage’s appetite for automatic promotion.
Form:
Stevenage: LDDDW
Goals scored: 6
Goals conceded: 7
Doncaster Rovers: LLLLD
Goals scored: 3
Goals conceded: 9
Previous meeting:
Doncaster Rovers 0-1 Stevenage – 25th October 2022
Jordan Roberts 25’
Gillingham v Leyton Orient – 7.45pm Tuesday 18th April 2023 – Priestfield
Gillingham’s excellent home form took a slight knock at the weekend, with Stockport County’s 89th minute equaliser preventing another win for the team with the best home form in the league. The Gills will be hoping to emulate their performance from Saturday against the league leaders, with man of the match Tom Nichols and goal scorer George Lapslie ready for a repeat.
Leyton Orient can secure promotion at Priestfield on Tuesday night, either with their own result (they need just one point), or other results going their way. On Saturday they kept another clean sheet, beating Sutton 2-0, but Gillingham’s home form might present more of a challenge than they’re expecting.
Form:
Gillingham: WLWLD
Goals scored: 5
Goals conceded: 5
Leyton Orient: DWWDW
Goals scored: 8
Goals conceded: 3
Previous meeting:
Leyton Orient 2-0 Gillingham – 25th October 2022
Paul Smyth ’52, Ruel Sotiriou 73’
Rochdale v Tranmere Rovers – 7.45pm Tuesday 18th April 2023 – Spotland Stadium
After their 3-0 loss at home to Bradford on Saturday, Rochdale face confirmation of their relegation to the National League if they lose in tonight’s fixture, or if Crawley and Harrogate pick up points in their ties. However, in eight meetings, Rochdale have won three, and Tranmere only two – their last head to head, in October 2022 ended in a 1-1 draw.
Tranmere currently sit in 11th position, losing 2-1 to Scott Lindsey’s Crawley who went from behind to claim the three points after Tranmere’s 8th minute opener. Tranmere missed a penalty towards the end of the second half that could have seen them equalise, but it wasn’t to be. Although play-offs are numerically possible, it seems unlikely now for Tranmere.
Form:
Rochdale: LWWDL
Goals scored: 6
Goals conceded: 8
Tranmere: DDLWL
Goals scored: 4
Goals conceded: 6
Previous meeting:
Tranmere Rovers 1-1 Rochdale – 25th October 2022
Kane Hemmings 39’ – Ian Henderson 35’
Sutton United v Northampton Town – 7.45pm Tuesday 18th April 2023 – Gander Green Lane
Sutton now haven’t won in seven games, and haven’t been able to claim any points since 1st April. Given Northampton’s form, Sutton are unlikely to present too much of a threat, and although play-offs are theoretically possible, it does seem unlikely. However, in three meetings, Northampton have never beaten Sutton, so Northampton will be keen to correct that statistic.
Despite struggling with injuries, Northampton still managed to hold promotion rivals Carlisle to a goalless draw on Saturday, and have only lost one of their last eleven games. Still in 2nd position they are in a very delicate position due to the congestion in the play-off positions – a win from Stockport or Carlisle on Saturday would have seen them slip to 3rd or 4th (and out of the automatics). They are also faced with two teams within three points of them who have games in hand – both Stevenage and Bradford could usurp them with the Cobblers playing if they manage to convert that game to three points.
Form:
Sutton: DDLLL
Goals scored: 2
Goals conceded: 7
Northampton: WDLWD
Goals scored: 5
Goals conceded: 5
Previous meeting:
Northampton Town 2-2 Sutton United – 25th October 2022
Marc Leonard 15’, Mitchell Pinnock 37’ – Omar Bugiel 47’, Donovan Wilson 61’
Grimsby Town v Barrow – 7.45pm Tuesday 18th April 2023 – Blundell Park
Barrow will be looking for all three points against Grimsby if the Bluebirds have any hope of claiming a play-off position. After their goalless draw with Swindon on Saturday, Barrow sit in 9th position, four points behind Salford and Mansfield, but in their next four matches they meet both Carlisle and Stevenage, and Mansfield have a game in hand as well.
Grimsby go into Tuesday’s game officially safe from relegation, a fantastic achievement for their first season back in the EFL. At 13th in the table they don’t have much to play for, and with one win from the last seven games, they’re not in brilliant form. They do have one of the more gentle run-ins though, with only Stevenage on 29th April in the top ten other than Barrow.
Form:
Grimsby: DLLWD
Goals scored: 7
Goals conceded: 10
Barrow: WWLWD
Goals scored: 8
Goals conceded: 5
Previous meeting:
Barrow 1-0 Grimsby Town – 25th October 2022
Billy Waters 75’
Crawley Town v Colchester United – 7.45pm Tuesday 18th April 2023 – Broadfield Stadium
Crawley’s win against Tranmere on Saturday was their first in five games, moving them above Hartlepool and out of the relegation zone. Scott Lindsey’s side are in 22nd now, two points above Hartlepool, but on the same goal difference. The two meet on 22nd April, with Crawley’s other games against Walsall and Swindon, which should mean that Crawley can maximise the points available to them over the next three weeks.
Colchester’s win over Salford took them to 45 points and 20th position. Their last three games are against Sutton, Doncaster, and Mansfield, and they’ll be looking for as many points as possible to ensure League Two football next season. Col U fans should be reassured by their form though, as well as their win over Salford, they recently held Stevenage to a draw as well, and haven’t lost since 11th March.
Form:
Crawley: DLDLW
Goals scored: 4
Goals conceded: 10
Colchester: DDDWW
Goals scored: 7
Goals conceded: 2
Previous meeting:
Colchester United 2-2 Crawley Town – 25th October 2022
Alex Newby 20’, Junior Tchamadeu 62’ – Ashley Nadesan 45’, James Tilley 46’
