March-ing towards a promotion

Hubert Parry · 01 Mar 2021, 20:11

Our big downfall back in 2012-13 when we were last in such a brilliant position was an appalling March. Our fixtures are currently as follows:

Tuesday 2nd March
Southend (h)
Saturday 6th March
Port Vale (h)
Tuesday 9th March
Mansfield (a)
Saturday 13th March
Exeter (a)
Tuesday 16th March
Barrow (h)
Saturday 20th March
Salford (h)
Saturday 27th March
Morecambe (a)

Impossible to predict this league but if we can come out of that run with 12 points or more, we would be on a good track heading into the final straight.

Fuller · 02 Mar 2021, 10:35

HP it was actually 2011/12 we had the dreadful March with no wins at all, 2012/13 we won 3 out of the 6 games, drew 1, lost 2. If those 3 wins in '12/13 had been in the previous season we would have gone up automatically.

Difficult to predict results in this league, if only our home form was a bit better. It won't be easy tonight but a better pitch and little wind hopefully will help our passing football.

Hubert Parry · 02 Mar 2021, 10:46

Thanks Fuller. The one time I could not be bothered to check is the time I get rumbled!

RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 02 Mar 2021, 13:15

Just having a look at the records.

We played seven games in March 2012, losing five and drawing two (2-2 and 0-0).

Only three goals scored in those games, all by Duffy. Had he scored a fourth, rather than that fateful penalty miss at Swindon (third game in March), then who knows how it might have played out.

Interestingly, opponents to score included familiar faces who have playes for us (Gornell, Tozer and Benson) as well as familiar enemies Ellison and Akinfenwa.

In February we played six, with a 2-2-2 record. That defeat at Crawley amongst them, which foretold the March which was to follow.

We won 3 from 5 in April.

A player called MacClean scored for us in our only game in May. Who the heck was he? I do not remember him at all!!

Hubert Parry · 02 Mar 2021, 13:56

Steve MacLean was a loan signing from Yeovil. He is perhaps best known for his spells at Scunthorpe and Sheffield Wednesday. He last played in Scotland.

His goal against Plymouth was memorable (it took a wicked deflection) because he goaded the home fans. There is hilarious youtube footage of it somewhere.

RobinHood · 02 Mar 2021, 16:00

Just from memory was it March 2012 where we had a bit of a horror show against Southend? Have vague memories of Butland having a nightmare game and it de-railing the season which has been one of the best in ages up to that point.

RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 02 Mar 2021, 16:15

RobinHood wrote:Just from memory was it March 2012 where we had a bit of a horror show against Southend? Have vague memories of Butland having a nightmare game and it de-railing the season which has been one of the best in ages up to that point.

Yes. We shipped four. Moshni scored and Sido saw red.

BUT, we had already lost four in six (DLLLLD) in March in the run up to the Southend game. So really, the Southend match was a culmination of an iffy Feb (shipped four at Crawley) and the awful March.

In fact, the season had derailed hugely before Southend which was ultimately rock bottom: we won the next game after Southend, and two of the four remaining after that.

Shade · 02 Mar 2021, 18:55

RobinHood wrote:Just from memory was it March 2012 where we had a bit of a horror show against Southend? Have vague memories of Butland having a nightmare game and it de-railing the season which has been one of the best in ages up to that point.

Remember being in a Brighton Wetherspoon's on a stag weekend checking my phone for updates, getting more and more depressed.

RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 02 Mar 2021, 19:25

Shade wrote:
RobinHood wrote:Just from memory was it March 2012 where we had a bit of a horror show against Southend? Have vague memories of Butland having a nightmare game and it de-railing the season which has been one of the best in ages up to that point.
Remember being in a Brighton Wetherspoon's on a stag weekend checking my phone for updates, getting more and more depressed.

Was in Edinburgh for a stag when Duffy missed the pen at Swindon.

Hubert Parry · 03 Mar 2021, 13:35

9 from 6 now required to make that 12 point minimum threshold. Obviously, I would hope for more.

Hubert Parry · 06 Mar 2021, 17:06

6 from 5 now. To borrow a Gary Johnson idiom, we are in credit. The more difficult games on paper are still to come, of course.

RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 06 Mar 2021, 17:31

Exeter and Morecambe away look like colossal clashes.

Shade · 06 Mar 2021, 18:51

And Tranmere at home. I think they are the only 3 teams up there in any kind of form that we have left to play. I guess Newport away but they don't seem to be what the were earlier in the season.

RobinHood · 07 Mar 2021, 17:05

If we maintain our current PPG until the end of the season we will end up with 84 points, which would have been enough for automatic promotion in most (but not all) League 2 seasons gone by.

I think it would also be our highest ever points haul in the Football League.

Hubert Parry · 13 Mar 2021, 17:18

3 from 3 games to par for the month.

RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 13 Mar 2021, 17:26

Be excellent to consolidate today’s effort with a win over Barrow. Then we go into those last two big games having had a good month.

Neither FGR or Cambridge play midweek ....and they play each other next Saturday. Then the Saturday after it is FGR vs Bolton.

So beat Barrow and we should end the month in a good position.

Shade · 13 Mar 2021, 17:45

Good chance to open a gap this week then. Let's hope we get payback against Barrow.

RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 13 Mar 2021, 17:48

Shade wrote:Good chance to open a gap this week then. Let's hope we get payback against Barrow.

Newport and Tranmere both play midweek, so we might not increase the gap over them. But it is our game in hand over Bolton so we can extend to eight points over them and put people’s worries about them to bed.

Nesty · 13 Mar 2021, 17:58

I think we would be very unlikely now not to at least make the playoffs

Interestingly last seasons Champions Swindon "won" the league with 69 points from 36 games, we were 4th with 64 points from 36 games....

Hubert Parry · 13 Mar 2021, 18:06

Barrow feels important. We haven't had the best record against the teams down at the bottom and they had a morale boosting away win at Walsall yesterday. The game is lost the moment we think it is a foregone conclusion.

14 Mar 2021, 00:52

RobinHood wrote:If we maintain our current PPG until the end of the season we will end up with 84 points, which would have been enough for automatic promotion in most (but not all) League 2 seasons gone by.

I think it would also be our highest ever points haul in the Football League.

Out of curiosity which team got 84 points and didn't get promoted? That would be devastating. Still the way our season has gone I feel confident we will finally get automatic promotion. They say the bookies don't get it wrong and all of them have us as favorites for the title right now.

Hubert Parry · 14 Mar 2021, 07:26

Robin! Welcome back!

RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 14 Mar 2021, 09:11

Robin wrote:
RobinHood wrote:If we maintain our current PPG until the end of the season we will end up with 84 points, which would have been enough for automatic promotion in most (but not all) League 2 seasons gone by.

I think it would also be our highest ever points haul in the Football League.
Out of curiosity which team got 84 points and didn't get promoted? That would be devastating. Still the way our season has gone I feel confident we will finally get automatic promotion. They say the bookies don't get it wrong and all of them have us as favorites for the title right now.

In 2016 Accrington came fourth with 85 points. Missing out on goal difference to Rovers and Oxford after last day shenanigans.

Conversely, in 2019, Bury and MK Dons came second and third with 79 points.

Generally, somewhere between the two is sufficient.

14 Mar 2021, 10:03

Hubert Parry wrote:Robin! Welcome back!

Thank you Hubert

Probably I'll be restricted to fleeting visits for now but hopefully I can be back and engaging in the banter as the season comes to a close.

RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 16 Mar 2021, 20:41

Doing it the hard way.

Hubert Parry · 20 Mar 2021, 17:01

We've hit the 12 point target for par with one left to play.

RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 20 Mar 2021, 17:04

Hubert Parry wrote:We've hit the 12 point target for par with one left to play.

With a shot for birdie or albatross next weekend.

RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 20 Mar 2021, 17:34

Also, looking at that list of games at the start of the month there are games we would have expected to win and ones where we thought we might lose..not necessarily how it panned out!

Malabus · 20 Mar 2021, 17:47

Watch us go to Grimsby and feck up...