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Whichever end of the table you look at in League One, it's a tight squeeze. Towards the summit, just five points separate Bolton in second and their opponents today Barnsley in fifth.

Peterborough are best placed to overhaul Bolton today should they slip up, with mid-table Wigan next to take on Darren Ferguson's side.

Leaders Portsmouth will aim to put some distance between themselves and the chasing pack at home to Northampton. After consecutive defeats in early January, Pompey have taken seven points from a possible nine.

At the other end, Reading in 21st are just five points behind Exeter in 14th. The Grecians host Bristol Rovers this afternoon, who make the short trip south to face the side with the worst home attack in the division.

Port Vale are the team looking over their shoulder the most right now, but will look to move away from trouble away at bottom side Fleetwood. They have the worst home record in the division and have not won in the league since the start of November.

Things are not much better for Charlton. The Addicks have not won since the end of November (a run of 11 games) and will look to keep out the league's second best away record this afternoon as Derby head to The Valley with second position in their sights.

Relegation-threatened Carlisle started 2024 in style with a win on 1 January, but it's all gone downhill since. Four defeats in a row have followed and it will be no easy task to get anything at Leyton Orient, who are unbeaten in their past six and have forward Dan Agyei in top form.

Another side searching for wins is Lincoln, who have not picked up three points in any of their past nine games in the league. A visit to the Pirelli Stadium to face Burton awaits Michael Skubala's side this afternoon.

Elsewhere, 15th-placed Shrewsbury host 16th-placed Cambridge, with just one point separating those two sides as they look to climb away from the bottom four.

It may well be stating the obvious here, but both sides will be anxious for three points in a match-up between two of League One's bottom six.

Cheltenham are four points off the bottom and seven points from safety, while Wycombe are two places and a less-than-comfortable four points above the relegation places.

Town have lost three of their past four in League One and won just one of their past five, but will be much happier on home turf.

Whaddon Road has been a happy hunting ground for Wycombe, who had won four consecutive trips there until a 1-0 defeat last season.

But on recent form, their prospects don't look quite so rosy.

Cheltenham have been beaten just once in their past eight at home in the league, while Matt Bloomfield's Wycombe are without a league win on the road since October.

And the Chairboys are on a lean run in the league to put it mildly. They have won just one of their past 17 League One fixtures, but will be buoyed by booking an EFL Trophy semi-final place on Wednesday.

This is a meeting of two sides who will have their sights firmly set on a run to the play-offs as seventh-placed Stevenage host Blackpool, who are eighth.

The home side have won three of their past four, and are a place and two points outside the top six, with the luxury of games in hand on all of the teams above them except for second-placed Bolton.

Steve Evans' team have lost just one of their past 16 league matches at Lamex Stadium, but have yet to beat or score a goal against Blackpool in all three of their meetings.

The Tangerines will leapfrog Stevenage on goal difference if they can extend that run - and are in decent nick, unbeaten in four, and with seven wins from their past 12 in the league. They also beat high-flying Bolton in midweek to reach the EFL Trophy semi-finals.

Their away record is the reason Neil Critchley's side do not sit closer to the automatic promotion places, but they are seeking back-to-back away league wins for the first time this season.

Image source, Rex Features

Top spot is within tantalising reach of in-form Bolton, who have been reeling in leaders Portsmouth in relentless fashion in recent weeks.

Ian Evatt's side could end the day at the League One summit, on goal difference, if they beat fifth-placed Barnsley and Pompey lose at home to Northampton.

While Pompey have faltered of late, Wanderers have ticked off six wins from their past seven league outings and will fancy extending that run.

They are unbeaten in their past 15 league meetings with Barnsley and no team has won more home matches in League One this season than the Trotters' tally of 10.

Yet Barnsley are no mugs, starting the day only five points behind Bolton, and will close the gap on the automatic promotion spots with a win.

The Tykes have been in excellent form of late and will want to reset after seeing their 11-match unbeaten league run ended last weekend at home to Exeter.

Barnsley's record away from Oakwell will also give them hope - they have lost just once away from home in the league this season.

Image source, Rex Features

• Oxford United 1-1 Reading (result)
• Bolton Wanderers v Barnsley
• Burton Albion v Lincoln City
• Charlton Athletic v Derby County
• Cheltenham Town v Wycombe Wanderers
• Exeter City v Bristol Rovers
• Fleetwood Town v Port Vale
• Leyton Orient v Carlisle United
• Peterborough United v Wigan Athletic
• Portsmouth v Northampton Town
• Shrewsbury Town v Cambridge United
• Stevenage v Blackpool

No more transfer windows and, except for the four teams still involved in the EFL Trophy, no distractions of cup competitions either.

It's a straight fight to the finish for the 48 teams in League One and Two.

All are in action today as we take another step closer to finding out which clubs will be celebrating or commiserating at the end of the campaign.

Image source, Rex Features