With Chesterfield in action in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Final on Sunday, the opportunity arrives for Rochdale and Scunthorpe United to extend their lead over Paul Cook’s side, whilst the likes of Fleetwood Town and Burton Albion will look to eat into that six point gap between them and the Spireites.

The game of the weekend involves two of those aforementioned sides, as fourth place Fleetwood and league leaders Rochdale lock horns at Highbury. Keith Hill’s visitors have won their last four games, a run only bettered by York City with six wins on the bounce, seeing them go two points clear at the summit. The home side picked up a vital win over Bristol Rovers in midweek, and will take confidence from their 2-1 victory in the reverse fixture at Spotland back in December. Defeat for the Cod Army would see them fall 12 points behind their opponents.

Second place Scunthorpe will be looking to take advantage of any possible Rochdale slip-up when they entertain fourth from bottom Wycombe Wanderers at Glanford Park. The away side go into the game winless in their last five matches, which has seen them fall uncomfortably close to the bottom two, with only two points the gap between them and Northampton. It doesn’t get any easier for Gareth Ainsworth’s side, and anything from this game would surely be a bonus going into their make or break run in, consisting of games against Northampton, Torquay and Bristol Rovers. The Iron will be looking to extend their remarkable 23 game unbeaten run with a fourth win and fourth clean sheet on the bounce.

York City’s six wins on the spin have propelled them into the final play-off place, but that streak will be severely tested by Gary Rowett’s Burton, who lay fifth in the division. Only one win in four has seen the visitors stutter of late, but victory here would keep them in the race for automatic promotion, putting them just three points behind Chesterfield with six games to go. A win will be a tall order though against a Nigel Worthington side who have picked up 26 points from a possible 30, and haven’t tasted defeat since January 28.

Oxford United’s 3-0 defeat at the hands of Southend all but ended their automatic promotion hopes, but victory over Dagenham and Redbridge at Victoria Road would help consolidate an increasingly precarious play-off position. They have a three point cushion between them and seventh, but with all the sides below them in much better form than the U’s, they have got to get back to winning ways. The trip to the Daggers will be a tricky one though; the home side are unbeaten in seven league matches, and still harbour ambitions of getting themselves into the play-offs, currently seven points behind York. The last three games at Victoria Road have ended in draws, a result which wouldn’t really be enough for either side.

Phil Brown’s Southend United will be looking for back-to-back league wins for the first time since November, when they won five on the bounce, when they take on basement side Torquay United at Root’s Hall. The visitors’ 1-0 success in the reverse fixture back in December is one of only five league home wins for the Gulls, although they don’t travel much better, with just four wins from 20 games. The Shrimpers have only tasted defeat four times at home this season, and will look to get back into the top seven with a victory here.

Occupying the other relegation spot is Northampton Town, who face a massive game against fellow strugglers Bury at Sixfields. The visitors are, alongside Scunthorpe, the division’s draw specialists, with 17 from their 39 games this season. Unsurprisingly then, they go into the match with Chris Wilder’s side on the back of five draws in their last six games, and haven’t won in over a month. The Cobblers recent run of form also includes a number of draws, five in their last seven, so you’d have to say that a share of the spoils is the most likely outcome from tomorrow’s game.

The team closest to trouble are the 2008 FA Cup winners Portsmouth, who travel to Newport County in desperate need of a win. Pompey’s run of three consecutive defeats, resulting in the departure of manager Richie Barker, leaves them just two points clear of the drop zone, and in serious danger of losing their Football League status. The Welsh side on the other hand are perched nicely in 12^th, and a nine point gap between them and the play-offs, and indeed the bottom two, means it’s likely that Justin Edinburgh’s side will be playing in League Two next season.

Bristol Rovers’ recent run of one win in seven has seen them fall to just three points clear of the relegation zone, but they’ll look to build on a strong home record against Morecambe in a bid to steer them away from danger. Only the top four in the division have picked up more than Rovers’ 33 points at home this season, and a 10^th win over the season at the Memorial Stadium would go some way in easing those relegation fears. The visitors are five points better off than their opponents, and would love to get back to winning ways after going winless in their last four matches.

Back-to-back wins has thrust Exeter City up the table, and a victory over 18^th place Accrington Stanley tomorrow would see them reach the 50 point mark. The visitors have lost just once in their last six matches, but their recent away form has been poor, picking up just one point from their last four matches. However, despite winning their last home game in comprehensive fashion against Fleetwood, Paul Tisdale’s side hadn’t won at home since October preceding that 3-0 win over the Cod Army. A win for either side would put a sizable cushion between them and danger.

17^th place Mansfield Town picked up an impressive win away at Hartlepool in midweek, and will go in search of back-to-back successes when they face AFC Wimbledon at the One Call Stadium. Although unbeaten in four, the visitors have picked up just one win in their last six matches, but are unbeaten in their last four on the road. The Stags have lost just one of their last six, and a victory here would all but secure League Two status for next season. The other game in the fourth tier this weekend sees Hartlepool United host Cheltenham Town at Victoria Park, with both teams separated by only a point. The hosts’ play-off challenge all but ended against Mansfield in the week, whilst with Mark Yates’ away side a point further back, it seems likely that these two will meet again in League Two next season.

There are some absolutely massive games at both the top and bottom of League Two this weekend, and there might be some important changes in league positioning by 5pm tomorrow evening.