A number of teams head into the final weekend of the League One season knowing they need to win their games to secure a place in the play-offs.
Barnsley (75 points) and Lincoln City (74 points) are presently the last two teams in the top six heading into the final round of games. Oxford United are in seventh place, one point behind the Imps on goal difference, while Blackpool are in eighth place.
This weekend, the Imps will host the competition’s top-ranked team, Portsmouth, at the LNER Stadium. The South East team won the title last week but were defeated 2-1 by Wigan Athletic in their next encounter. Pompey manager John Mousinho stated before of their trip to Lincolnshire that his team would not be pushing too hard this weekend.
The 37-year-old told the News: “We had Monday off and then returned on Tuesday and Wednesday. We had a reintroduction day on Tuesday because I believe the lads were physically and mentally exhausted, but it’s critical that we don’t slack up since the league’s integrity is at stake, and there are teams with points to play for.
“It was a pretty good thing Wigan were safe and had nothing to play for last weekend and we’re safe in terms of our position.”This weekend, however, is unique in that there are numerous teams vying for the final play-off spot, with Lincoln moving up to sixth place.
“So it’s for us to do it right and give us the best possible chance to build a bit of momentum going into next season.”
