The 2016-17 season continues with the latest round of games this festive period. This will see us among those involved with three points of course the aim.
Previous results
Monday 26th December 2016 – Sky Bet League Two
Leyton Orient 3-2 Crawley Town 13:00
Cheltenham Town 1-2 Barnet 15:00
Crewe Alexandra 1-1 Carlisle United 15:00
Grimsby Town 2-0 Accrington Stanley 15:00
Hartlepool United 0-1 Blackpool 15:00
Luton Town 0-1 Colchester United 15:00
Mansfield Town 0-1 Morecambe 15:00
Newport County 2-3 Portsmouth 15:00
Notts County 0-1 Doncaster Rovers 15:00
Plymouth Argyle 3-3 Wycombe Wanderers 15:00
Stevenage 1-2 Cambridge United 15:00
Yeovil Town 0-0 Exeter City 15:00
What will happen in this one though? Cast your vote so we know if you think it’ll be all smiles or disappointment come the full time whistle.
Fixtures
Friday 30th December 2016 – Sky Bet League Two
Cheltenham Town v Wycombe Wanderers 19:45
Hartlepool United v Morecambe 19:45
Yeovil Town v Portsmouth 19:45
Saturday 31st December 2016 – Sky Bet League Two
Mansfield Town v Doncaster Rovers 12:15
Leyton Orient v Cambridge United 13:00
Crewe Alexandra v Accrington Stanley 15:00
Grimsby Town v Blackpool 15:00
Luton Town v Barnet 15:00
Newport County v Exeter City 15:00
Notts County v Carlisle United 15:00
Plymouth Argyle v Crawley Town 15:00
Stevenage v Colchester United 15:00
Friday will see Cheltenham among the small handful of teams playing their final game of the year. When they do a chance to move out of the bottom two – potentially to end the year that way – will come when they face Wycombe. However, the Chairboys are pushing for promotion and are unbeaten in eight – winning six of these games.
Hartlepool’s eight defeats in 10 to end the year could mean Pools end in the relegation places should they lose against Morecambe at Victoria Park and the teams below them win! The Shrimps have won two of their last three but are still only five points off the bottom two.
Despite the fact promotion their rivals will have a chance to react if all three points can be claimed at Yeovil by Portsmouth they would move to within a couple of points of the automatic promotion places. Pompey head to Huish Park having lost just once in the last nine in 4th place whereas the Glovers haven’t won in three – losing twice to slip out of play-off contention.
New Years Eve is the day when leaders Doncaster have the chance to secure top spot heading out of one year and into another. Donny feature in the earliest kick off at Mansfield – who have lost three of the last four – where they can apply the early pressure.
Also involved in an early kick off are Leyton Orient – this was lucky for them on Boxing Day as they won in the 1pm start against Crawley at Brisbane Road. The visitors this time are promotion-chasing Cambridge; they have won their last five to sit in 7th.
The Crewe run of four without a win – this includes three defeats – is something the Railwaymen will look to end at Gresty Road as they could potentially be dragged into a relegation battle in the New Year. Accrington are goal difference alone ahead of the bottom two heading into these latest fixtures after seven defeats in the last eight.
Grimsby ended a run of four without a win – they had lost the previous three – with a Boxing Day win. The Mariners will host play-off chasing Blackpool on Saturday with Pools knowing a win would probably take them back into the top seven with them just a point off this in 8th before this Blundell Park showdown.
A Boxing Day defeat for Luton didn’t cost them too much but did mean the Hatters lost ground on the automatic promotion places. The 5th placed side welcome Barnet to Kenilworth Road to end the year with the Bees just a couple of points off the play-offs – they’ve also won four of their last five in a 10 game run that’s brought just the solitary defeat.
Newport will end 2016 in the bottom two and indeed at the foot of the Football League whatever happens on Saturday. However, should they end a five game losing run against Exeter at Rodney Parade they’ll boost their survival hopes. The Grecians’ own five game unbeaten run has taken them away from trouble.
Having lost seven in a row Notts County aren’t too far off joining Newport! In fact if the Magpies lose again when promotion-chasing Carlisle visit Meadow Lane they could be in the bottom two come the end of the year! The Cumbrians know they’ll be in the top three regardless but also know all three points could mean they go into 2017 as the League 2 leaders.
2nd placed Plymouth welcome Crawley – who had won three of their previous four before losing on Boxing Day – to Home Park on Saturday. If the Pilgrims extend their own unbeaten run to four with another victory they’ll end the year in their present position at least.
A fine five game unbeaten run – with four wins – has taken Colchester away from relegation trouble into play-off contention. The U’s travel to Stevenage aiming to retain their top 10 place and potentially close the four point gap between them and a top seven place. Boro are just below them but two defeats from the last three has seen them lose ground.
It goes without saying the expectation; most definitely the hope at least, will be for a positive result. But will this happen? We’ll find out soon enough.
Ahead of the game we’re looking for your views on what way you think it will go, which requires you to vote in the latest poll in one of the options you have been given.
However, don’t just look also have a say. We don’t just want your vote, which you can do to the right, we also want some thoughts and views ahead of the game as well so share these below.
