Sorry that any player gets that type of injury,( one that keeps them from playing for a long period of time) but hopefully that will be to our advantage
Now it's all about how we bounce back. Recently, we've followed a defeat with an unbeaten run - if we can do that from Saturday then we'll be right back in the autos chase. If not, our options start to look more like the playoffs.
That's the bottom line unfortunately, thanks to our poor start to the season, it's all or nothing now. If we don't go on an unbeaten run now, then the play offs is the best we can hope for, and if we slip up once more, we could be looking at another season in lge 2, I would like to think we can gain another 16 points this season, win our 4 home games against Bradford, Salford, FGR and Scunthorpe, I've allowed us a draw at Tranmere, a defeat at Port Vale and a win at Rochdale (hopefully!). This would give us a total of 79 points which is achievable as long as we don't slip up again, but whether this is realistic, I've no idea!! Plus of course, a lot will depend on what the others do, and there are countless permutations.
Think Exeter are playing Newport this week, a few games against each other will make life interesting Mansfield V Hartlepool tonight Mansfield are a point behind with 3 games in hand and a GD of 9 to our 10 win for Hartlepool tonight would be very good Mansfield are away Saturdays fixtures Barrow v Port Vale, Mansfield v Northampton Town, Tuesday 5th FGR v Mansfield, Salford v Port Vale
Bit of a humdinger of a game going on at Hartlepool tonight - Mansfield 2-0 up within 25 mins, overtaking us in the process, Hartlepool scored 2 themselves by half time, so anything could happen here! Currently Mansfield have joined the rest of us on 63 points. 2148: Game now ended 2-2 final score. There's now 5 teams on 63 points, imagine Mansfield will view this as 2 points lobbed in the bin, seeing they were 2-0 up at one point. Getting very tight in the table now, any slip ups could be disasterous!
Well done Hartlepool! The Stags have got some pretty tough games coming up, and some of their results will probably help us.
We need Evans and Nicholson back fully fit and if we can get Grant fit as well that would be a bonus Hartlepool scored 2 in 3 minutes and Mansfield 2 in 4 minutes
All the sides at the top are losing key players, so it probably will come down to who has the most strength in depth. That's why I think we're in a pretty good place at the moment.
Nine points out of twelve. Not bad so far. Hopefully we’ll have Evans and Anderton back for the trip to Tranmere - a huge match, although they’re all huge to be honest!
So hard to predict how these last few games are likely to pan out, and now that Tranmere have lost their 2 players that were red carded last week, that makes it even harder. Don't know how influential or important they are to the team, or even what positions they play in, but they must surely be a loss? I can't help feeling that it is imperative that we score first on Saturday, this is even more of a 'must win' game for Tranmere than it is for us, and an early goal for us will hopefully take the wind out of their sails. A lot of their fans seem to have written off automatic promotion already and are even doubtful about making the play offs. yet they are only 2 points worse off than us, having played the same no.of games, so this really is a 'winner takes all' match. I still fancy us to win, just! but going to be a nervy 90 minutes.
I am still on target for my 75 point prediction. I was wrong about a defeat at Northampton and a win at Carlisle so that evened itself out. I have predicted us a win on the prediction game today vs Tranmere although above I put we won't get anything from Tranmere. Since then though, their form has dropped a bit (2 wins from last 5) so I am feeling a tad bit optimistic about today. But the next 4 games including today will be tough, Tranmere, Salford, Port Vale and FGR will basically determine if we are on for automatics, play offs or if our form in the 1st half of the season had costed us a top 7 chance.
I now think that we have to win all our remaining matches to have any chance of automatic promotion. Unfortunately I don't think we will do that (I'd be amazed if we beat both Vale and FGR), so it's likely to be a battle for the playoffs. Gas rarely do things the easy way!
We'll have a good idea after this weekend. I think we'll only drop a couple of points from the remaining games, but goal difference will be important.
I agree with all of that - I'd love to feel 100% confident that we will win the lot, but in all honesty, I can't see it either. For what it's worth, I think the top 3 will be FGR (89 points), Exeter (88 points), Mansfield (84 points). I think we will end up in 5th position and have to endure the lottery of the play offs along with Port Vale, Salford and Northampton. If I'm correct, the only good thing about it all is that Newport and Swindon will both miss out, particularly Swindon!!
I am really surprised that people thought we would go up automatically, we are the GAS and we NEVER do things the easy way, personally I don't think we will get promoted this year but with the right recruitment in the Summer and while I am not a JB fan the players by enlarge have been good signings, and when managers see the playing time some have had I think they will entrust their up and coming stars to our care. I believe some players ought to be shown the door and if they can bring in the right players we should get off to a better start and next season will be the one to celebrate
