Points required

[Lesonthewest]

Another game ticked off without our rivals (Pompey apart) making any real significant inroads makes me think that 81/82 points will now suffice, so dare we say 5 more wins & a draw or two from the last 13 will push us over the line. That would leave both Carlisle & Portsmouth needing 9 or so wins from their last 13/14 games to overhaul us, tall order. Slightly concerning that a few physical sides have found a way to stop us lately, but even given our current form 5 wins aren't beyond us.

[Draytonian III]

Agreed

[SydneyRover]

It's great to see things going our way while a bit of regrouping goes on. Can't see us losing it from here, statistically we can blow it but with such a good margin, I don't think so. It would be good to see it in the bag a few games out form the finish.

[balbyrover]

I still think we will go up. Thankfully our wobble seems to have gone unpunished from the teams around us otherwise we couldve been a lot less clear points wise.
We do need a win though to get back on track.

[the vicar]

As we are playing at the moment where is them 5 wins going to come from

[ballysbackin]

Another 21 points required and the 2 points a game average is now up the spout for now.

[SydneyRover]

As we are playing at the moment where is them 5 wins going to come from
True, but the other teams will be wondering the same as they try to get close to us.

[rich1471]

Another 21 points required and the 2 points a game average is now up the spout for now.

totally agree we need 7 wins from 13 games still think we need 85 points to go up

[dickos1]

I don't think Portsmouth Carlisle and Luton will get anywhere near 85/86 points
They'll struggle to get 80

[ballysbackin]

Yes, so might Donny just struggle too

[bobbymax]

Both Carlisle and Portsmouth would probably need to average two points per game to deny us automatic and those below even better. Neither have managed that to date.
It's still completely in our own hands and you would have settled for that after the first two or three games. We're still dominating games, just need to start putting those chances away again.

[i_ateallthepies]

With 13 games to go last season nobody seriously believed we were at risk of relegation.  We've averaged fewer than one point per game from the last five, if we continue like that we're sitting ducks.

[The Red Baron]

With 13 games to go last season nobody seriously believed we were at risk of relegation.  We've averaged fewer than one point per game from the last five, if we continue like that we're sitting ducks.

I did...

[i_ateallthepies]

Thanks RB, I did think about wording it a bit more carefully but then thought... 'sod it'.

[andysly]

We've been sloppy all over the pitch this month. Yesterday for me was the first sign of a serious problem. Against Morecambe we'd just won 5 and were due a setback, the Newport draw was ok given the pitch and results against Carlisle & Luton weren't unexpected.
Yesterday was a chance to get going again against a bottom six team and we struggled to control the game properly, giving the ball away too easily in midfield and elsewhere,  looking shaky defensively and missing great opportunities in front of goal.
DF will have a far better idea of what has got into the players heads, the ability is there, they are just a little off the pace in concentration. Maybe need a 3-0 defeat to shake them up rather than getting away with it with these draws.

[dickos1]

A bit of perspective is needed,
Over the last 6 games we've been poor, and we've got 7 points from those games.
But none of the others around us have done much better.
Pompey 10 points
Carlisle 10 points
Luton 9 points
Plymouth 8 points

So even with our terrible run, none of our competitors are doing much better and now no way will 3 of them overtake us

[drfchound]

With 13 games to go last season nobody seriously believed we were at risk of relegation.  We've averaged fewer than one point per game from the last five, if we continue like that we're sitting ducks.

I did...

So did I, I went on record in February as saying that unless DF recognised the team couldn't function with the style he wanted to play we would get dragged into a relegation dogfight.

[drfchound]

Another 21 points required and the 2 points a game average is now up the spout for now.

A win on Tuesday puts it right back on track though.

[ballysbackin]

Yes hound IF,,, remember a week or two ago I did suggest a repeat of last years last 17 games, and you asked me if I had a squeaky bum... Bet I am not the only one since 1st February 

[rich1471]

A bit of perspective is needed,
Over the last 6 games we've been poor, and we've got 7 points from those games.
But none of the others around us have done much better.
Pompey 10 points
Carlisle 10 points
Luton 9 points
Plymouth 8 points

So even with our terrible run, none of our competitors are doing much better and now no way will 3 of them overtake us

I am sure over the last 10 games only Mansfield have taken more points , but it only needs a team to go on a winning streak if Portsmouth win the game in hand the gap is down to 8 points   

[besty]

https://experimental361.com/2017/02/25/e-ratings-update-league-2-25-feb-2017/

Get ya stats round that

[Pancho Regan]

A bit of perspective is needed,
Over the last 6 games we've been poor, and we've got 7 points from those games.
But none of the others around us have done much better.
Pompey 10 points
Carlisle 10 points
Luton 9 points
Plymouth 8 points

So even with our terrible run, none of our competitors are doing much better and now no way will 3 of them overtake us

I'm grateful for you spending the time to get those stats together Dickos.
It's exactly what I was going to do and it makes me feel better about our recent form.

We've dipped in results during February and I'm kicking myself about the points we've 'dropped'.
But I bet I'm not kicking myself as hard as the fans of Plymouth and the other fans of the chasing pack.
Carlisle gained 6 points on us during the week we lost to them, but yesterday they blew their chance to take a step nearer to us.

All will be well.

[swintonrover]

We're always terrible in February, we've been like it as long as I've been going. I just tend to write the month off in general when it comes to Rovers.

[drfchound]

Yes hound IF,,, remember a week or two ago I did suggest a repeat of last years last 17 games, and you asked me if I had a squeaky bum... Bet I am not the only one since 1st February

Last year we lost the lot, not this year.
Last year DF persisted with a formation that clearly wasn't working. This year we have better players.
The fans of Plymouth and Carlisle will be so glad that we are dropping points because they are too.
Even if Portsmouth win their game in hand, an 8 point gap is still a big one.
All is not lost.

[ballysbackin]

But it does not stop me worrying does it. 

[DearneValleyRover]

I still think anything above 78 points will be enough for promotion there are too many teams equally as good as one another and no consistency in any team including ourselves.

[Campsall rover]

The panic on here is unbelievable.
I think some of you need to get a grip.
We have lost only 1 of last 5 games, ok we have not won any. But we are still TOP and well clear of 4th place.
We will start winning again because we are creating chances and they will start going in again.
Every team has a blip and we were well over due ours
STOP PANICKING WE WILL BE FINE.
The only teams that should be worrie are Carlisle, Porsmouth, Luton,Exeter,Mansfield,Wycombe,Cambridge etc etc

[roversam]

Don't panic Mr Mainwaring  😊