Back At My Desk – Back Again

Following my ‘mid-season break’ in the USA where interest in March Madness (the college basketball play-offs) eclipsed every other sport including soccer, sorry, football, I thought I’d have a quick catch-up on the clubs I cover.

In the Championship Cardiff and Swansea are still tussling for what looks to be one automatic place with QPR continuing to set the pace at the top of the table.

Swansea’s great 3-2 win at home to Forest has certainly done them no harm and Cardiff are hanging on in there, but the play-offs are a lottery and Norwich will be determined not to drop from second spot and get sucked into the end of season scrap.

Bristol City now look safe and great credit goes to Keith Millen and his team after a terrible first half of the campaign. I’m sure that they’ll be licking their lips in anticipation of the new season starting down at Ashton Gate. If the board continue to back Keith and he can hold on to key players, they’ll be in with a shout in 2011/12.

Things are still tight at the foot of League One, but it was good to see Bristol Rovers notch up a second win in three games at Notts County who are one of the sides they will need to drag back into the mire if they are to escape relegation. Their cause will also have been boosted by the signing of loanee keeper Conrad Logan until the end of the season. The last thing the Rovers defence need is a new voice behind them and the uncertainty that that brings.

On Friday evening Rovers have a home fixture against high fliers Peterborough who still have one eye on an automatic promotion spot and have scored 86 goals already this season. No easy task for the Gas, but imagine the confidence boost if they win.

Swindon managed another draw, but wins are needed now and while I haven’t been to the County Ground for a few weeks, I suspect that nerves are becoming a little frayed. I worry for them if they suffer a heavy defeat in the coming couple of weeks. Fortunately their next game is a ‘banker’ away at, er, league leaders Brighton on Saturday! Again though, a win on the south coast and suddenly the confidence will coming flooding back.

Walsall haven’t given up hope either and put five past the monkey hangers of Hartlepool at the weekend.

In League Two Oxford still look like they could force their way into the play-offs and last season’s Blue Square Wembley win will stand them in good stead if they manage to get to this year’s final at Old Trafford. It will prove to be a nail-biting finish to the campaign for everyone at the Kassam. Their only disappointment may turn out to be the fact that they may miss out on a derby fixture against Swindon if they get promoted. I guess they'll live with that!

Wycombe have now only won one game in the last five, but have managed to cling on to the third automatic promotion spot. They now need to put together a winning run to put some distance between themselves and the chasing pack.

Cheltenham look like inconsistency has now cost them, but Mark Yates will fancy his team’s chances next term if he can hang on to key players in his squad. Wes Thomas must be on the radar of a few bigger clubs and his sale might bring in much of the revenue Yates will need to launch a promotion assault on League One. Whether he'd prefer to keep the player rather than have the cash, only he will know.

Hereford are only seven points above the relegation places, but with two games in hand you would expect Jamie Pitman’s boys to gain the wins they need to secure their pl;ace in the division. When I’ve seen them play, they haven’t looked like a side destined for life in non-league, but there will be sighs of relief all round once they have got those points in the bag. At that point, the board need to sit down with Pitman and plan properly for next season. If they don’t strengthen, I’m afraid the Bulls will be in for more of the same come 2012.

That’s enough waffle for now. I may be covering the Rovers game on Friday and have already been pencilled in for the Cheltenham game on Saturday and so expect to see my jet-lagged drivel in a newspaper near you soon.