Due to the international break, there is a much quieter weekend ahead for EFL fans.
There are no Championship fixtures at all, only six match-ups in League One but 11 are on the books in League Two.
TIBS News provides a preview to those 17 fixtures.
League One
Plymouth will travel to Ipswich as they look to secure their seventh win in a row and move up to third place. Ipswich, meanwhile, know they need a win if they want to still be in with a shout of a play-off place come the end of the season. Plymouth won the reverse fixture 2-1 and will be hoping that they can replicate the success they found at home.
Gillingham have the chance to extend their gap over the relegation zone as they travel to Accrington Stanley. The Gills will need to bounce back from a midweek 1-0 loss to Charlton if they have any hope of taking something from an Accrington side that are looking to climb into the top half of the table. Stanley are playing for pride more than anything now but have recently gone through some sporadic form and will be looking to get some consistency again.
Sheffield Wednesday know that if they avoid defeat on Saturday, they will move into the final play-off place, while Cheltenham aim to spoil any potential celebrations. The Owls’ wouldn’t have been expecting to be as low as seventh at this point of the season back in the summer but experienced midfielder Barry Bannan is leading his team back up the table as they look to return to the Championship. Cheltenham are looking to secure 12th place as they continue to be much better than the other sides who were promoted with them last season.
League Two
Exeter could reduce the gap to leaders Forest Green to just four points if they manage to overcome a struggling Stevenage side. Undefeated in their last five games, Exeter will be hoping that they can finally make it to League One after so many disappointments in the play-offs. Stevenage are at the other end of the table and have lost their last two as new boss Steve Evans looks to keep his side just above the drop zone.
Newport travel to Bradford as they look to consolidate their play-off position. The Exiles will have to recover from a shock 3-2 loss against Hartlepool if they want to beat a Bantams’ side that has struggled to find form at home in recent times. Newport’s next three games after Saturday all come against teams fighting for promotion and a win at Bradford would instil some invaluable confidence in James Rowberry’s men which will be very important in games that are sure to be tightly-contested.
Oldham and Mansfield meet in a clash that could start to reveal the writing on the wall for the former. Mansfield find themselves two points outside of the play-offs but have three games in hand and could rise as high as second should they win them but Nigel Clough knows his side need to take it one game at a time. Oldham are fighting for their lives as they sit three points adrift of safety and look destined to drop out of the Football League for the first time in their history.
By Joshua Stewart
