Some important games tonight

[deebee]

Barnsley, Portsmouth and Sunderland all in action.

[bobjimwilly]

Portsmouth losing 1 nil after 37 mins

[bobjimwilly]

Sunderland 2-2 Gillingham after 40 mins

[karlos]

Portsmouth losing 1-0

[drfchound]

Portsmouth losing 1-0

Our old friend Johnson Clarke Harris.

[redandwhitearmy]

I think it would be virtually impossible to catch Barnsley so not too bothered regarding them. Pompey are definitely catchable at the minute though and probably Sunderland too.

[ZiggerZagger]

Win our 2 games in hand beat the Dingles,  puts us just behind them, all to play for yet. Big big games for us in next couple of weeks, stay undefeated till end of march and who knows where we'll end up. Having said that I had a bet before season started, we'd beat sunlund in play offs at Wembley. Plus Marquis top scorer. Trouble is, they could be the ones to drop out, mates are saying the fans aren't happy the way they are playing at the mo. The pressure is getting to the players, mostly because the fans are on there backs for not winning 5 nil every week.

[selby]

  We have got to pick points up ourselves if we do that there is nothing else we can do, and if the others slip up anything can happen including the top two.
  Every thing is still to play for, it will take a great run by ourselves, and other teams to have a rick between now and the end of the season, but it has all happened before, Portsmouth looked home and dry, and Luton nothing special a couple of months ago.

[Copps is Magic]

Luton nothing special a couple of months ago.

You've been sleeping a bit then. They haven't lost in the league since the beginning of October, and only twice since the beginning of September (to us and the Dingles). They're on what must be some kind of club record form run.

[drfchound]

Win our 2 games in hand beat the Dingles,  puts us just behind them, all to play for yet. Big big games for us in next couple of weeks, stay undefeated till end of march and who knows where we'll end up. Having said that I had a bet before season started, we'd beat sunlund in play offs at Wembley. Plus Marquis top scorer. Trouble is, they could be the ones to drop out, mates are saying the fans aren't happy the way they are playing at the mo. The pressure is getting to the players, mostly because the fans are on there backs for not winning 5 nil every week.

Lots of IFs in there Zigger.
It could happen of course.
COYR

[selby]

CIM not sleeping at all, and was going on their display at the KM, which was nothing special, they are obviously on a great run, the question is will they keep it up.
 Just a couple of seasons ago you watched Portsmouth pip a certain team, and with six games to go I would not have backed them to do so with your money never mind mine.

[Colemans Left Hook]

Luton nothing special a couple of months ago.

You've been sleeping a bit then. They haven't lost in the league since the beginning of October, and only twice since the beginning of September (to us and the Dingles). They're on what must be some kind of club record form run.

yes Luton aren't half hot at the moment but they are also getting all the luck just watch this goal (meaning the ball ended up in the net- yes they all count!!)  for 2-0   yes the free kick for 1-0 was good --- but the "free sample goal" courtesy of the goalkeeper was a killer blow

https://www.skysports.com/football/fleetwood-vs-luton/393484

think they got a lucky goal the week before

 

[drfchound]

Omar scored again. 1-1 at Portsmouth now.

Sunderland in front again.

[Alan Southstand]

Clarke-Harris missed penalty for Bristol.

[drfchound]

Never did like him.

[Colemans Left Hook]

salal is absolutely terrible for Plodderpool

great results tonite Mandeville came on 65th min sub as they get a great win

[Alan Southstand]

Barnsley and Pompey both drop points.

[drfchound]

Barnsley and Pompey both drop points.

Portsmouth only have four points from the last twenty four that they have played for.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Every game from now on is a cup final. Average points per game means bugger all now, as we have learned in our recent past.

Anything can happen.

[redandwhitearmy]

We are in pole position for the playoffs, every game is huge.
Another decent night tonight results wise without us even kicking a ball.

[tyke1962]

Burton parked the bus tonight but fair play to em they worked hard , defended well and deserved their point .

Missed big Kieffer tonight who is out till a week on saturday with his statutory lay off due to the  concussion he received at Gillingham .

Massive game coming up on saturday at Fratton Park for us , completely sold out and a 20k crowd including 2300 travelling tykes .

Big win for Sunderland tonight and our clash at Oakwell next month looks to be monumental against them .

Really hotting up now and I expect it will go right to the wire .

[RoversAlias]

CIM not sleeping at all, and was going on their display at the KM, which was nothing special, they are obviously on a great run, the question is will they keep it up.
 Just a couple of seasons ago you watched Portsmouth pip a certain team, and with six games to go I would not have backed them to do so with your money never mind mine.

Even though we won, Luton were at the time the best team I had seen us against all season and only one or two sides have impressed me more in the league since. Can see why they're up there and I think, much like with Shrewsbury last season, it's time for everyone to stop saying they won't last the course and respect how good they are.

[Jim Dobbin]

Win our 2 games in hand beat the Dingles,  puts us just behind them, all to play for yet. Big big games for us in next couple of weeks, stay undefeated till end of march and who knows where we'll end up. Having said that I had a bet before season started, we'd beat sunlund in play offs at Wembley. Plus Marquis top scorer. Trouble is, they could be the ones to drop out, mates are saying the fans aren't happy the way they are playing at the mo. The pressure is getting to the players, mostly because the fans are on there backs for not winning 5 nil every week.

13 points and 11 goals to make up? Automatics between the top 3, Pompey dropping like a stone. As l predicted they'll be lucky to scrape into the play offs.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Yes, Portsmouth are there for the taking. Disappointing to come away with just the one point recently. However, I can see Barnsley getting a 2-2 draw. We must win at Scunny in the early kick off just so it's in Barnsley's heads before they kick off.

If we can win our other game in hand and match your form in the other games, when it comes to our clash at the Keepmoat the points difference could have shrunk to an uncomfortable gap for you.

[tyke1962]

Yes, Portsmouth are there for the taking. Disappointing to come away with just the one point recently. However, I can see Barnsley getting a 2-2 draw. We must win at Scunny in the early kick off just so it's in Barnsley's heads before they kick off.

If we can win our other game in hand and match your form in the other games, when it comes to our clash at the Keepmoat the points difference could have shrunk to an uncomfortable gap for you.

Whoever grabs the two automatic places are going to need at least 93 points in my opinion .

We need 31 from the 39 that are still available .

You guys need 40 from 15 games , 40 points from the last 45 that are still available to you .

With all due respect that's a massive ask .

Even with a margin of error and saying 90 points will be enough it's still a tall order .

In all honesty with the quality of the present top 3 or 4 I just don't see how  anything less than 90 points are going to be enough to get automatic promotion .

Could be some fun on the last day of the season to say the least .

[tyke1962]

Yes, Portsmouth are there for the taking. Disappointing to come away with just the one point recently. However, I can see Barnsley getting a 2-2 draw. We must win at Scunny in the early kick off just so it's in Barnsley's heads before they kick off.

If we can win our other game in hand and match your form in the other games, when it comes to our clash at the Keepmoat the points difference could have shrunk to an uncomfortable gap for you.

Whoever grabs the two automatic places are going to need at least 93 points in my opinion .

We need 31 from the 39 that are still available .

You guys need 40 from 15 games , 40 points from the last 45 that are still available to you .

With all due respect that's a massive ask .

Even with a margin of error and saying 90 points will be enough it's still a tall order .

In all honesty with the quality of the present top 3 or 4 I just don't see how  anything less than 90 points are going to be enough to get automatic promotion .

Could be some fun on the last day of the season to say the least .

Only prediction I'll make is if the second promotion spot goes to the wire and someone misses out on the final day, (i.e. being leapfrogged, throwing away a lead to drop into the play-offs, dodgy goal, etc), they won't go up in the play-offs.

Psychologically that team will be devastated to get such a high points tally and miss out, whereas the team in 5th/6th might have settled for the play-offs, be happy to be there, and not emotionally exhausted.

It won't necessarily be the best teams that go up automatically, it'll be the teams that can handle the pressure better if/when it gets to real shit or bust time around Easter.

It's a very good point and my biggest fear in all honesty .

We've historically been on the right side of this in the play offs .

Walsall in 2016 missed out on automatic on the last day , points wise a mile in front of us when we finished 6th .

We beat em 6-1 on aggregate in the play off semi .

Scary stuff to say the least .

[Jim Dobbin]

Away games at Sunderland & Luton, Charlton, Barnsley and Blackpool also to play.

[NickDRFC]

Rigoglioso, tyke1962 - on the flip side we have our very own Rovers who dropped out of the top two courtesy of a last day disappointment at Cheltenham. We dusted ourselves off and still went up.

I remember reading a couple of years back that the team finishing in the top play-off spot wins the playoffs almost twice as much as any of the other spots. No idea what the stats are for a team dropping out of the top two (or three) on the final day so you may still be right - if I get the time I might try and look into it myself.

[bedale rover]

Yes, Portsmouth are there for the taking. Disappointing to come away with just the one point recently. However, I can see Barnsley getting a 2-2 draw. We must win at Scunny in the early kick off just so it's in Barnsley's heads before they kick off.

If we can win our other game in hand and match your form in the other games, when it comes to our clash at the Keepmoat the points difference could have shrunk to an uncomfortable gap for you.

Whoever grabs the two automatic places are going to need at least 93 points in my opinion .

We need 31 from the 39 that are still available .

You guys need 40 from 15 games , 40 points from the last 45 that are still available to you .

With all due respect that's a massive ask .

Even with a margin of error and saying 90 points will be enough it's still a tall order .

In all honesty with the quality of the present top 3 or 4 I just don't see how  anything less than 90 points are going to be enough to get automatic promotion .

Could be some fun on the last day of the season to say the least .

Only prediction I'll make is if the second promotion spot goes to the wire and someone misses out on the final day, (i.e. being leapfrogged, throwing away a lead to drop into the play-offs, dodgy goal, etc), they won't go up in the play-offs.

Psychologically that team will be devastated to get such a high points tally and miss out, whereas the team in 5th/6th might have settled for the play-offs, be happy to be there, and not emotionally exhausted.

It won't necessarily be the best teams that go up automatically, it'll be the teams that can handle the pressure better if/when it gets to real shit or bust time around Easter.

Like we did in 2008?

[dickos1]

Away games at Sunderland & Luton, Charlton, Barnsley and Blackpool also to play.

That’s a positive though, we need to beat the teams around us. No use to us playing sides at the bottom we need to be beating the sides around us