What ways will the pendulum swing in the next weeks ?

Sadly it swung the wrong way for Saints last night as Huddersfield easily beat Oldham at home 2-2.

The race for that sixth play off spot, and being honest thats all that is left open for the chasing clubs now is sure to change hands regularly over the coming weeks with the only question down here being how long Saints will still be in contention.

In truth although Bristol Rover & MK Dons could still nick it, its between Huddersfield, Colchester & Saints, of those the Yorkshire side must now be favourites with Colchester fading fast and Saints a real outside bet.

Saints now sit 11 points behind Huddersfield but with a game in hand, however before they get a chance to haul that game in the game may already be up.

Saturday is crucial, Saints have to beat Charlton and hope that Huddersfield fail to win at Brentford, then on the Tuesday Saints have to win at Bristol Rover and hope that Hudderfield previously invincible at home drop points against Walsall.

Truth is at this moment Huddersfield can see the finish line, with us being able to get a maximum 78 points and with them already on 68, they only now realistically need 3 wins from their remaining six games.

However if they do drop a point at brentford then thats a start for Saints and if we can post two straight wins we can go to Yeovil knowing exactly what we have to do as the night before Town will have played millwall at home and thats the one beacon of light and we then have our game in hand against Oldham at SMS.

If we won our next four and Huddersfield won one, drew one & lost one of their three that would leave us on 69 and the Yorkshire side on 72 with three games left. 

If we can get into those final three games in this position we have three winnable games, two at home against Carlisle & Southend, the latter possibly relegated by the time they arrive on the final day of the season, seperated by a trip to Gillingham who may themselves be fighting for safety.

Huddersfields final three are Stockport away, Colchester at home & Exeter away, this is the only glimmer of light in that they are unbeatable at home but not so much away.

So thats the picture its going to be very tight with now no room for error for Saints, its seven straight wins or game over and even then we need Hudderfield to foul up badly, but if we can get into those final three games only three behind then we are in with a chance.

At this moment in time I feel we will fall perhaps three points short and we will be left ruing those away games at Brentford/Exeter/Wycombe/Tranmere & Brighton, all of which we should have done better at, if we had won at one of those we would be in so much better position, two and we would be favourites to nick that last spot, but be assured, if we do miss out on promotion, its not because of the ten point deduction, nor the lack of pre season or any other excuse, its because in those five away games, with a squad packed full of superstars in League 1 terms, we failed to register one win and thats what will cost us dearly.       

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