Vital games aplenty at both ends of the table under the floodlights. As always I’ll try & make some sense of it all, here goes…

BLACKPOOL v BOLTON WANDERERS

A “dead rubber” of a Lancashire derby first up at Bloomfield Road.

Mid-table Pool seem to be limping inconsistently towards a mid-table finish in a season that for the first half of the season promised so much & boss David Dunn needs to instil some form into his troops to give the Pool faithful some hope for a more successful season next year.

Bolton are all but down & even the most optimistic fan should now realise there’s no way back now. The first murmurs of discontent over the Hill/Flitcroft managerial team emerged this past weekend after yet another defeat. Patience is a virtue & whilst Wanderers fans have been patient up until now, they couldn’t have a better team in charge to mount a League Two promotion campaign next season in my opinion.

Pool to get a much-needed victory.

PREDICTION: Pool 3 Trotters 1

COVENTRY CITY v ROTHERHAM UNITED

The game of the night & potentially the season at St Andrews. Both teams are in exceptional form right now. The Sky Blues boast the second-best “home” record in the division at their temporary St Andrews base whilst the Millers have the best away record in the league with an impressive ten victories on the road.

Coventry top the division’s form table & like their opponents look a formidable candidate for an automatic promotion place. Remarkably consistent, Cov have only lost THREE games in the League all season & have recently turned the draws they were earning earlier in the season into victories.

Paul Warne’s Millers have been up near the division’s summit for most of the season & are also in imperious form of late. They are the divisions second top scorers after Peterborough & have won five of their last six away games. The Millers were one of three teams to actually beat Coventry (4-0) earlier in the season at NYS & come into the game full of confidence.

This meeting of the division’s top two is a hard one to call, where’s that fence?

PREDICTION: Sky Blues 2 Millers 2

OXFORD UNITED v ACCRINGTON STANLEY

Karl Robinson’s Oxford seem to be reigniting their playoff push after a worrying slump after a very impressive win at Ipswich at the weekend. The return to form of key players Matty Taylor & the excellent James Henry has been pivotal in the club’s return to form. Although sitting ninth in the table the Us are only three points adrift of Fleetwood in the sixth & final playoff place.

A narrow home defeat by leaders Rotherham at the weekend ended a run of three straight wins for John Coleman’s Accy side. Fourteenth placed Stanley play good football & can give the very best teams in the division a game on their day.

It’ll be a tough game, but I take Oxford to narrowly win this one.

PREDICTION: U’s 2 Stanley 1

PORTSMOUTH v MK DONS

A narrow defeat to Fleetwood at the weekend saw the Cod Army replace Pompey in the last playoff place so manager Kenny Jackett will see the visit of eighteenth place MK as a wonderful opportunity for his side to get back on track in their promotion push.

Portsmouth proudly boast the division’s only unbeaten home record & have looked unbeatable at fortress Fratton Park in front of large noisy passionate fans.

MK have done really well recently & are well clear of danger in their bid to avoid relegation & in Rhys Healey have one of the divisions better striker who is in a rich vein of form right now. More worrying for them however is their poor form away from Stadium MK where Russell Martin’s side have picked up just eight points (& only one win) from their fifteen games.

I can’t see past a comfortable home win here.

PREDICTION: Pompey 3 MK 0

SHREWSBURY TOWN v TRANMERE ROVERS

A fine 1-0 win over playoff-chasing Doncaster at the weekend may just have saved Shrews manager Sam Ricketts his job &just might have appeased the Salop fans a little. The Shrews have a more than decent defence but their problem lies in actually scoring goals with only rock bottom Bolton scoring less than Salop’s 26.

It’s the last chance saloon for Micky Mellon’s Rovers & a rare three points in this game is imperative if the SWA are to avoid a swift return to the third tier. Rovers are currently eight points adrift of AFC Wimbledon so they need wins rather than draws if they are to pull of one of the greatest escapes in the division’s history.

Anyone going to this might want to bring a pillow.

PREDICTION: Salop 0 Rovers 0

SUNDERLAND v FLEETWOOD TOWN

Another clash between two teams with end of season promotion in mind.

Phil Parkinson’s Mackems are going for their fifth straight league win that if achieved might well lift them into the top two with Coventry & Rotherham playing each other. The SOL is a very intimidating place for opponents especially when their favourites are doing well so they’ll be 30000+ at this game.

Joey Barton’s Cod Army are a very good team & have sneaked almost unnoticed into the playoff picture after Saturday’s fine win over rivals Pompey. Their away record has improved of late & they’ll provide the Black Cats with their toughest challenge for some time.

I’m going for a surprise in this game…

PREDICTION: Black Cats 1 Cod Army 1

words Ian Bradley, D3D4’s prediction guru