Jack Ball assesses the hopes of the League Two promotion chasers and their run-ins…
Southend United’s hopes of gaining automatic promotion from Sky Bet League Two have been kept very much alive.
Their recent win over Bury not only saw them leapfrog the Greater Manchester side to go level on points with third-placed Wycombe Wanderers, it also destroyed any hopes that Bury had of catching Burton Albion to snatch the league title.
Albion have secured promotion to the third tier of English football for the 1st time in the club’s history under a certain Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in what is the former Chelsea striker’s first managerial job in England. Only second-placed Shrewsbury, who trail the leaders by two points, are now in with a chance of challenging Hasselbaink’s men for the trophy.
Despite Burton’s probable crowning as champions in League Two, the fight for automatic promotion is far from a done deal. The Shrews will have to keep one eye on the teams below because defeats in their final two games to Cheltenham and Plymouth Argyle and they risk being pushed out of the top three should Wycombe and Southend win both of their remaining fixtures. One more win for the Shrews and Micky Mellon’s job will be done.
Phil Brown’s Southend could not have picked a better time to find form. They’ll go into their remaining fixtures against Luton and Morecambe following five wins and six clean sheets. Their recent triumph away to Bury could prove to be their most significant result of the season. The fact that it was former Bury man David Worrall’s superb free kick that sent the Seasiders home with all three points will only add to the satisfaction of the result.
Brown has called the visit of Luton on Saturday a “cup final”, adding “If we win the cup final we’ll have another one next Saturday.”
Wycombe Wanderers’ fight to hold off both Southend and Bury in third place, who are now both heavily breathing down their neck, took a serious hit after being held to goalless draw in last weekends visit to Wimbledon. Only goal difference keeps them above a determined Southend side.
The Chairboys, though, would have been relieved to come away with a point as they were dominated by Wimbledon for long periods of the game. Aaron Pierre was shown a red card and Wycombe are now forced to finish their season without him. They’ll be happy to face Morecambe this weekend, though, to whom they haven’t lost in 11 meetings, recording seven wins and four draws.
Bury manager David Flitcroft will need to come up with a better strategy than Wycombe had in order to beat Wimbledon who they face at home. They finish the season away to relegation-threatened Tranmere.
Much could change over the next two weekends of League Two football. Though out of the race for the play-offs, Morecambe will have a huge say in the fight for third as they face both Wycombe and Southend in their final two games. Bury will undoubtedly be right behind the Shrimps to beat them both as they will need the two teams to slip up at least once if they are to avoid the play-offs.
Outside an automatic promotion place only on goal difference, Brown will be demanding full focus from his players over the next two weeks.
It was a pipe dream a month ago but their turn of form will only give them more confidence to complete the job.