Clyde1998windermereROYAL Yes pleased with tonight`s results, Charlton are the team we all expected to get out of it, the teams around us are the sides we expected to be down there, still all to play for, only 2 points off 16th place.
Just need to get a few points and a cushion before March 22nd, tax payment day.
Looking at the run-in for sides, Charlton have the easiest end of the season (based on current positions) compared to everyone else in the bottom eleven.
Other than Port Vale, we have the hardest run-in and beyond Saturday, we have by far the hardest run-in on paper:Only four sides currently in the bottom half left to play, plus three sides in the top four.
- 2 Mar - Carlisle (A) - 24th
- 9 Mar - Wycombe (H) - 14th
- 12 Mar - Derby (A) - 2nd
- 16 Mar - Cambridge (H) - 16th
- 23 Mar - Bristol Rvrs (A) - 12th
- 29 Mar - Northampton (H) - 11th
- 1 Apr - Bolton (A) - 3rd
- 6 Apr - Lincoln (H) - 10th
- 13 Apr - Barnsley (A) - 4th
- 20 Apr - Burton (A) - 17th
- 27 Apr - Blackpool (H) - 9th
We really have to get at least a point from every home game - with wins against Wycombe and Cambridge probably being essential. We'll probably have to beat Carlisle and get at least a point at Bristol Rovers and Burton. Doing the minimum listed in those games would get us to 52 points.
The hope is Bristol Rovers, Northampton, Lincoln, Burton and Blackpool will all have nothing to play for when we get around to playing them, with Barnsley safely in the play-offs.
Yes, it may be tougher but you have to remember in terms of on field performance we are also better than most sides around us - we are 14th without deductions after all.
Also we are now at the stage of the season where current form is probably a better key to the opposition than total points as the pressure of getting over the line - this can have a positive or negative effect - so for example, Bolton have only won 2 of their last 7 whereas Lincoln have won 5 of their last 6.
Of our away opponents, their home form over the last 8 sees them 23rd, 10th, 15th, 2nd, 4th and 18th - so not quite as strong.
Of our home opponents - away form puts them - 20th,15th, 9th, 7th and 22nd
Suddenly the run looks a lot better. We are 3rd for home form and 16th for away over the same period.