League 2 Promotion Chasers

The League 2 promotion hunt starts here for; Hartlepool, Lincoln City, MK Dons, Stockport County, Swindon Town and Walsall, who will all have there sights set on getting automatic promotion to League 1 this season.

With Hartlepool United currently sitting at the top of the table and Stockport County been on record-breaking form, the League 2 promotion and title race couldn’t be any better for the neutral supporters.

These are my thoughts on the title race and whom I think will go up win the league and totally throw the chance of promotion away…

Hartlepool United

Hartlepool have come into form at just the right time after a bad start, they currently sit top of the league and will be looking to stay there and they will also be hoping to extend on their 5 point lead at the top of League 2.

Danny Wilson extended their unbeaten run to 19 games after a 3-2 victory against Hereford United, where Effion Williams scored the winning goal.  They will now look

towards Williams and Richie Humphreys to score the goals they require to win the league title.

In my opinion Hartlepool should now win the League 2 title and if they throw a five-point lead away they will only have themselves to blame.

Lincoln City

Lincoln City have been disappointing to say the least since beating fellow promotion and title chasing side Walsall at Bescot Stadium, I suppose you could that they ‘put in a performance for the cameras’ with the game been shown live on Sky Sports.

The Lincoln supporters are now starting to get frustrated about the teams form and desire to battle towards getting

automatic promotion and maybe the League 2 title. 

I attended the Walsall v Lincoln City game at Bescot Stadium and saw a team who was playing neat following football with a fast striker upfront who was causing lots of problems for The Saddlers defence.  At the time Walsall were top of the league, however if you watched the game and not knowing who is top of League 2 and said it was one of those two teams, you would have said Lincoln City.

Since that victory against Walsall at Bescot Stadium, The Imps’ have come up against Hereford United, Accrington Stanley and Mansfield Town where they have only managed to pick up a point, which is disappointing considering those 3 games are must wins.

I think Lincoln City should set their sights on the play-offs, but they still have to play the likes of Hartlepool United, Swindon Town and Stockport County if they are to win at least one of those games they could fail to get into the play-offs.

Milton Keynes Dons

The MK Dons, many people believe shouldn’t still be in the football league after changing there name and moving to Milton Keynes from Wimbledon.

The Dons currently sit third and final automatic promotion spot in League 2.  They have now gone 5 games without defeat following there disappointing 5-0 loss against

Rochdale on the January 27th, 2007.

They have one of the best players in League 2 in Izale McLeod and has already scored 18 league goals this season and will be hoping to extend on that total before the end of the season, however Izale may have the ability and talent to be a great footballer but his discipline lets him down and has been sent off three times and seven yellow cards already this season.

However they do have other good players, Clive Platt has done well this season getting 13 goals already, they also have midfielder’s Keith Andrews and Lloyd Dyer who will player a big part in their promotion push.  They also have January signing from Swansea Leon Knight who will be hoping to break into the squad and play his part in the season.

I predict The MK Dons to go up through the play offs, however if McLeod can stay on the pitch and they can beat promotion chasing rivals Walsall and Stockport County the chance for automatic promotion could open up for them.

Stockport County

Stockport County have been on great guns since on loan ‘keeper Wayne Hennessey joined on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers, the highly rated youngster has yet to concede a single goal in the nine games he has played for County.

The Hatters have a number of good players who will play a big part in their push towards promotion, goalkeeper 

Wayne Hennessey mentioned above will be hoping to get a few more clean sheet and continue with his current form. 

Another player who will be play a big part in Stockport’s promotion push Anthony Elding, the striker, who scored one goal against Walsall and two when County entertained Swindon Town which took his total to seven goals this season.

Although Stockport manager Brian Horton told ‘The Football Paper’ that he believes his side should be aiming to go up via the play offs, I disagree however, I think County should be aiming towards getting that 3^rd and final automatic promotion spot and if Wayne Hennessey can continue with his fantastic form and they can get the required goals then the chance is there.

Swindon Town

After a very disappointing February where goals have been hard to come by for Swindon Town, they will be desperate to find somebody who can but the ball in the back of the net and help them with there promotion push this season.

They only managed to score 2 goals in February against Darlington

and Chester City and as every single football fan knows, if you don’t score goals, you wont win matches which will then end your promotion push, this has been the case for Town as they have only managed to pick up four points winning just the one game.

Swindon will be desperate to see the return of Paul Evans in the midfield and maybe knows he could be the player they are missing and will start setting up and getting goals for the team who currently sit 4th in the League 2 table.

I think that Swindon will struggle to get promoted this season if they can’t score the lack of goals out, I think Swindon will now be looking towards getting a place in the play offs and who knows they could just get promoted at Wembley.

Walsall

The Saddlers started off well this season, however they have had a dodgy patch since losing player/coach Mark Kinsella to Charlton Athletic which has saw them throw away a 9 point lead at the top of League 2.

Walsall manager Richard Money has managed to bring in Kevin Harper and Kevin Cooper on loan from Stoke City and Cardiff City respectively and he will be hoping they

can make an impact in The Saddlers midfield, which has been criticized by the Saddlers supporters this season.

The Saddlers also had that fantastic defensive record, where ‘keeper Clayton Ince went until the end of November before conceding, his first home league goal against Notts County, has been dodgy and looking nervy over the past few games and he will be hoping to sort that record out and help The Saddlers towards getting promotion and maybe that league title.

It’s going to be hard for Richard Moneys’ men to win the League 2 title but I would say that automatic promotion is a must, I predict Walsall to finish as runners up to Hartlepool this season.  The Saddlers have still got to travel to play the MK Dons and Wycombe and if they can pick up six points from those to away games it could create a chance for Walsall to get the title.

How will it finish?

Although it is going to be a tough hard battle for all six teams; Hartlepool, Lincoln City, MK Dons, Stockport County, Swindon Town and Walsall, which are involved, I have come up with how I think it will all come to an end.

This is one of the most mouth watering, nail biting run ins to the end of the season, with nobody really taking control of the promotion race.

I predict the League 2 title race to end like this:

1st – Hartlepool United

2nd – Walsall

3rd – Stockport County

----------------------------

4th – MK Dons

5th – Lincoln City

6th – Swindon Town

7th – Wycombe Wanderers

Click here to see the League 2 table.