Fixtures 1st April

[EricSabin]

Some huge games in League 2 this weekend with the top 6 all playing each other in a quirk of the fixture list.

Stevenage at home for us, don’t know who’ll be fit and what to expect but hopefully can keep our good form going with a win.

Looks like it’ll be a complete sell out at Sixfields too so good to see that.

 

[EricSabin]

Forgot two games take place on the Friday, apologies

 

[Cas]

I've watched Grimsby's last few games. Seem decent on the ball and create plenty of chances, but they seem to have a real problem finishing them. Just hope they haven't saved them all for us on Saturday! Don't think Grimsby will come and play for a point so it should be a decent and open game. We've only lost 2 of the last 16 tho' too many draws are the reason we haven't troubled the top three. Can see another draw here. I'll be optimistic and go for a 3-2 City win.

 

[LS Bantam]

I’ve got a feeling of optimism too (last time I said that was against Barrow and we were awful), too often we’ve just shown up thinking we’ll be gifted three points and the opponent who just wants it more has won, hoping the penny has dropped and we go in with some real competitiveness like we showed second half against Carlisle.
Adam Clayton is out which could be a blessing, he’s been really solid but with Smallwood we effectively have two defensive mids and at this point in the season we need to be more attacking, if Ryan East comes in he’ll offer that and I’ll expect far more creativity going forward which will hopefully lead to some goals.
2-1 home win, annoying early kick off meaning I’ve been roped into a 2 year olds birthday party afterwards at soft play ffs.

 

[BogDaddyO]

Blockbuster fixture list this weekend. Stockport vs Salford on the Friday is huge for the play-off hunt, I hope (as we all do on here) that Stockport smash them.

Northampton vs Stevenage is absolutely massive as well, again, really hope the Cobblers see them off, and given their form I would expect them too. If I could sacrifice us finishing as champions to ensure Stevenage do not secure a spot in the autos I would do it immediately.

Finally, we're at home to Carlisle, who seem to have gone off the boil recently, but then so have we. We've drawn our last 4, all from winning positions, mostly against teams in the bottom half of the table, and were incredibly lucky not to lose at Hartlepool last weekend.

I think it will be a fifth consecutive draw for us, we really are limping over the line, but with home games vs Crewe and Harrogate to come, and given that it's basically a 4 horse race for the top 3 spots, I think we'll be ok. But we've definitely lost our imperious form from earlier in the season and are making silly errors at the back and not creating that many chances. Some truly bizarre subs for us in recent weeks as well - if McCart never plays another game for us it will be too soon. Truly shocking. Losing Happe to that injury against a thuggish Northampton was incredibly damaging for our season.

Official prediction: hellygregory to flood the board with pessimism before disappearing when the Cumbrians nick it 0-1.

 

[joethegill]

Barra away for us.

Point each and move on.

 

[chipmunx]

Barra away for us.

Point each and move on.

With Stockport playing Salford and Bradford obviously going to fail to beat Grimsby a win would put us 4 points (possibly 3) outside the play off places.... and Gillingham are safe already - so we want all 3 this time

And a win means we are mathematically safe from relegation

 

[Stocky]

Barrow are still well in the play-off mix.

Anyone below them is probably out the running. Swindon very small chance but their defeat to us on Saturday probably put them in too much of a hole. If Grimsby won last night I'd have put them in the same boat, but probably has sailed now.

 

[joethegill]

With Stockport playing Salford and Bradford obviously going to fail to beat Grimsby a win would put us 4 points (possibly 3) outside the play off places.... and Gillingham are safe already - so we want all 3 this time

And a win means we are mathematically safe from relegation

We aren't quite, but I take your point. We tend to be playing the 'draw away, win at home' strategy over the last couple of months.

 

[hellogregory]

Official prediction: hellygregory to flood the board with pessimism before disappearing when the Cumbrians nick it 0-1.

Don’t think I’ve ever disappeared after a win. I probably have after a bad defeat which I think this could end up being.

 

[chipmunx]

interesting article on our site;-

https://twitter.com/x/status/1641077751196323841

 

[Kauto Star]

interesting article on our site;-

https://twitter.com/x/status/1641077751196323841

You must be the only club in the EFL whose ground was better in the 60s than it is now!

 

[Moonie]

Brisbane Road will be packed on Saturday, for a game which has huge ramifications for the promotion race. If Orient win they'll be as good as up, but if we can pull a rabbit out of the hat then it opens top spot to Northampton, Stevenage, and even our good selves. With Stevenage and the Cobblers playing each other, at least one of the sides above us will be dropping points, so we'll not be out of the hunt no matter the result.

Home ends sold out, and we've now polished off our allocation of 900 - I believe 350 tickets have been made available for POTD, not sure we'll sell them all but I'd be surprised to see fewer than a thousand of us.

 

[hellogregory]

I’m going to this on Saturday, despite our recent poor form. Huge games like this can’t be missed really even though I have no confidence in getting a result.

Going to the AJ fight after it.

Confident that Leyton Orient and AJ will both smash the shit out of their opponents. But hopefully there’ll be an upset at the football, not the boxing.

 

[GTFCfish]

I have no confidence in getting a result.

 

[Moonie]

I’m going to this on Saturday, despite our recent poor form. Huge games like this can’t be missed really even though I have no confidence in getting a result.

Going to the AJ fight after it.

Confident that Leyton Orient and AJ will both smash the shit out of their opponents. But hopefully there’ll be an upset at the football, not the boxing.

Not sure you can consider it a huge game when you view it as a no-contest!

 

[hellogregory]

Not sure you can consider it a huge game when you view it as a no-contest!

You’re not sure I can consider it? Who are you? I can consider it as small or huge as I want.

It’s a huge game because we need to win. I don’t think I’ve said it’s a no contest, just that I think we’ll lose.

If I thought Orient were going to lose would that be viewed as a no contest? Or does it not work both ways?

 

[The Terminator]

We're going to lose because we're crap and our strikers have only scored 7 goals between them all season, we've drawn our last 5 and have failed to hold leads in all 5 games.

Carlisle have more firepower than us. 2-0 Carlisle and we won't be promoted now.

I have no confidence in us now.

 

[Casey]

AFC Emergency Ward 10 v Knackers Yard Utd at Mansfield on Saturday.

Which bunch of crocks will come out on top? Our chastening performance v Grimsby showed just how many of our players are half fit, playing through injuries but I'd like to keep the mini revival going and sneak a draw.

Here's hoping.

Casey

 

[Richard Cranium]

I reckon we'll have a couple more back Saturday despite what was said in the press earlier in the week.

Were missing Johnson, Macca, Reed and Maris at the mo. Quinn is back from suspension which is a boost and I reckon one of Reed/Maris will also be back. Fingers crossed on Macca aswell.

Harbottle went off injured last week and is out this Saturday which will mean Perch back in at centre half. We really should go to a back 4 but we won't, It'll probably be two centre forwards in Akins and Bowery playing wing back and Kilgour, Hewitt and Perch at the back. I'd go Hewitt right back, Kilgour and Perch and play Wallace left back in a back 4, unless Macca is fit then put him in for Wallace

 

[pontoonlew]

Live 15 mins from the ground, the perfect away game ruined slightly by a 1pm kick off and my mother deciding she’s coming to visit.

Unfortunately for her, it means she’s won herself a ticket in the away end.

 

[GTFCfish]

I was thinking about our game last night and I think I’ve talked myself into going to this one, working 12 hours Friday night then my Missus is at work 9AM Saturday morning and I always drop her off so gonna be absolute max sleep of 2 - 2.5 hours before driving.
Ah well fuck it, I’m in.
What’s parking like Bradford fans any tips?

 

[BogDaddyO]

We're going to lose because we're crap and our strikers have only scored 7 goals between them all season, we've drawn our last 5 and have failed to hold leads in all 5 games.

Carlisle have more firepower than us. 2-0 Carlisle and we won't be promoted now.

I have no confidence in us now.

Oh come on. We're top of the table, 8 points clear of the play offs with 9 games remaining, a game in hand over 2 of our rivals and we're unbeaten in 9.
I think we'll be fine.

Granted, we do not look like the team we were in the first half of the season, but the general negative vibe a lot of the Os faithful are generating is so frustrating given where we are and what we've accomplished this season.

Chin up.

 

[EricSabin]

I reckon we'll have a couple more back Saturday despite what was said in the press earlier in the week.

Were missing Johnson, Macca, Reed and Maris at the mo. Quinn is back from suspension which is a boost and I reckon one of Reed/Maris will also be back. Fingers crossed on Macca aswell.

Harbottle went off injured last week and is out this Saturday which will mean Perch back in at centre half. We really should go to a back 4 but we won't, It'll probably be two centre forwards in Akins and Bowery playing wing back and Kilgour, Hewitt and Perch at the back. I'd go Hewitt right back, Kilgour and Perch and play Wallace left back in a back 4, unless Macca is fit then put him in for Wallace

Almost got too many players now

 

[The Terminator]

Oh come on. We're top of the table, 8 points clear of the play offs with 9 games remaining, a game in hand over 2 of our rivals and we're unbeaten in 9.
I think we'll be fine.

Granted, we do not look like the team we were in the first half of the season, but the general negative vibe a lot of the Os faithful are generating is so frustrating given where we are and what we've accomplished this season.

Chin up.

I was doing my best hellogregory impression

 

[The Terminator]

Be interesting to see if Wellens changes any of our defenders with no clean sheets in 5 and a few have been making mistakes.

Can see Rob Hunt coming back in at either full back.

Would imagine Dennis and Edmonson will start for Carlisle after their lack of recent goals.

 

[LordJord]

Seems like we are unlikely to have any of our injured players back for this week, hopefully we are pleasantly surprised and get 1 or 2 back though.

If we can get away without having any more out I would not be upset to see the same starting XI with Bowie coming on early in the second half.

A massive game at San Sixfields though. Not expecting a lot of liquid football, would be surprised if the ball is in play for more than 50 minutes or so. Hoping we can keep our solid foundations of recent weeks and scrape a 1-0 win. A win for either side would be huge though at this stage of the season.

 

[GTFCfish]

Oh come on. We're top of the table, 8 points clear of the play offs with 9 games remaining, a game in hand over 2 of our rivals and we're unbeaten in 9.
I think we'll be fine.

Granted, we do not look like the team we were in the first half of the season, but the general negative vibe a lot of the Os faithful are generating is so frustrating given where we are and what we've accomplished this season.

Chin up.

I think you’ve just been whoooooooshed mate.

 

[BarraMatt]

We are going to absolutely MULLER Gillingham, two net bulges to one.

 

[PuB]

We are going to absolutely MULLER Gillingham, two net bulges to one.

I reckon we’re going to absolutely THRASH you 0-0