Wednesday 3 April 2013

TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT

To say things are tight at the bottom of League Two is a massive understatement.

Following Easter Monday's results, only four points separate 17th placed Dagenham & Redbridge, and 24th Aldershot who have 44 points.

Amongst the teams sandwiched between the Daggers and the Shots are Torquay United and Plymouth Argyle with 46 points each.

With four games left for the Gulls and five for the Pilgrims, both sides realistically need to secure five points to be in with a shout of guaranteeing League Two football for the 2013-14 campaign.

Torquay's four remaining games see them face Champions-elect Gillingham this Saturday at the Priestfield Stadium before facing fellow strugglers Barnet at home.

They then travel to Morecambe before hosting Bristol Rovers on the final day of the season.

However, the Gulls will head into these matches without the services of Joss Labadie, who has scored four goals in seven appearances during his loan spell at Plainmoor, after he was recalled by his parent club Notts County.

Meanwhile, the Pilgrims have two home games left; against Play-Off chasers Cheltenham Town and Rotherham United and a re-arranged trip to Chesterfield as well as journeys to Burton Albion and Rochdale.

On their travels, Argyle will be re-acquainting themselves with some familiar faces.

Chesterfield were manager John Sheridan's last club before his arrival at Home Park and his former assistant Tommy Wright and goalkeeping coach Marc Crossley are still employed at the Proact Stadium.

Their trip to Burton will see them face former loanee Alex MacDonald, who is currently on loan at the Pirelli Stadium from Burnley, a player who was with the Pilgrims in the early part of the current campaign as well as towards the end of last season.

On the final day against Rochdale, Argyle will be coming up against Dale manager Keith Hill who spent four years at Home Park between 1992 and 1996 after arriving from Blackburn Rovers with Craig Skinner in a deal that saw Nicky Marker move in the opposite direction to Ewood Park.