Â鶹Éç

The light is starting to fade, the floodlights are kicking in.

It's time for the players to step up!

Image source, PA Media

Cambridge know a win at home to Wycombe will be enough to keep them in League One, but the omens don’t look great for the home side.

Garry Monk's men are winless in their last four, taking just a single point and scoring only one goal, while they have lost nine of their last 13 overall.

They have also claimed only five points from their last nine encounters with the Chairboys, who have won on their last four trips to the Abbey.

The U's have failed to win any of their last 16 midweek games and, with two draws and nine losses, they are one of just two of the 72 EFL clubs not to win a midweek game under lights this season, along with Port Vale.

To make matters worse, this is a fourth straight away game for Wanderers, the first time they have had to do so in more than 23 years, but they have won each of the last three, scoring seven and conceding only twice.

Image source, Â鶹Éç Sport

While the play-offs are already secure, Peterborough are not yet mathematically out of the race for automatic promotion back to the Championship.

Posh are six points adrift of second-placed Derby and with a nine-goal gap to make up in goal difference, however a healthy win at Cheltenham tonight would not only seal the Robins' fate, it would heap additional pressure on the Rams as they face Carlisle on Saturday and could even take them above Bolton into third place - only time will tell how important the play-off standings will prove.

Wycombe could sneak into this top-10 tonight if they can pick up a win at Cambridge.

Image source, Rex Features

Cheltenham fans know only too well they need an awful lot to fall into place in the coming four days if they are to extend their stay in the third tier to a fourth season.

With a five-point gap to Burton, only a win will do tonight against a Peterborough team fighting to keep their chances of automatic promotion alive until the final afternoon of the season.

Given they began the season with two points from their first dozen games, and have lost five of their last six, it’s something of a miracle Darrell Clarke’s side are even in with a chance of taking the relegation scrap to the final 90 minutes of the season.

They have however lost four of their last six league games against Posh, who have won on their last two visits to Cheltenham, 6-3 in December 2008 and 3-2 in July 2022 and nine of their last 12 in the league overall.

Clarke has not beaten United in seven previous meetings as a manager, losing six of them, while Posh have won their last four midweek games by an aggregate score of 15-3, scoring at least three in each game.

They have already enjoyed Wembley success in the EFL Trophy, and might yet have more to come this season, but Darren Ferguson's side will be targeting a handsome win tonight to ensure the promotion race runs its full course.

Image source, Â鶹Éç Sport

For Cheltenham the equation is simple, even if the task in hand is not.

Town need to beat promotion-chasing Peterborough tonight just to take the relegation battle to the final day of the season. Even then they would need to win their final game at Stevenage and hope Burton do not at Fleetwood in order to beat the drop.

While the odds look very much in their favour, mathematically Cambridge are not safe if Cheltenham win tonight unless they too can pick up three points at home to Wycombe.

Image source, Rex Features

At the start of the season, picking which of these sides would be in the League Two play-offs and which would be fighting to get in would have been easy.

Yet Barrow and Bradford are in full role reversal.

The Bluebirds are on the verge of a 'dream season' according to manager Pete Wild, needing three points to guarantee a play-off position, but one point from 15 games has them scrambling for the line.

The Bantams on the other hand are hoping that their fine form has not come too late. It's 13 points from 15 for them.

Realistically, they have to win their last two games and hope for a slip-up elsewhere.

Image source, Rex Features

When Colchester called for Danny Cowley and brother Nicky in January, the instruction was simple: Keep us in the EFL.

Tonight, a win or a draw will do that, relegate Sutton in the process and avoid a nervous final day encounter with play-off chasing Crewe.

Easy on paper, right?

The task on the pitch is to halt the form team in English football - Doncaster Rovers.

When they started their run of nine straight wins, they were 20th, just two places above the U's.

Now they are only outside the play-offs on goal difference and victory tonight could see them climb as high as fifth.

• Cheltenham MUST win to avoid being relegated to League Two.
• Peterborough MUST win to remain in with a chance of automatic promotion.
• Cambridge will guarantee League One safety with victory over Wycombe.

• Barrow will guarantee a League Two play-off spot with victory over Bradford.
• Bradford MUST avoid defeat to keep alive their play-off chances.
• Colchester will guarantee League Two safety with a draw at home to Doncaster.
• Doncaster will move into the play-off places with a draw.

Image source, Getty Images

For days, weeks and months, football supporters have been able to trot out, 'We're only three points behind, with a game in hand'.

Well ladies and gentleman, the moment of truth is upon us. It's time to play that game in hand.

Eight teams in Leagues One and Two have that game to play tonight, with issues affecting the top and bottom in all of them.

Tension? Yes. Permutations galore? Absolutely!