Survival race entering its final furlong

LATICS ROUND UP: IT ISN'T what anybody at Athletic wanted or expected at the start of the season, but there is no denying the battle against relegation makes for some tense drama on the field — if not always the greatest-quality football.

The 2-0 loss at Huddersfield Town on Tuesday night left manager Dave Penney's side on 43 points as they bid to side-step the bottom-four exit door into League Two.

Looking at the table as it stands, it appears that two sides — Stockport and Wycombe — are all-but down already, with Southend's wretched form putting them firmly next in line.

As for Athletic, three more wins should be sufficient for the club to start the rebuilding process which will take place over the summer months.

Picking up those points certainly won't be easy in a difficult run of matches and plenty of fingernails will be chewed between now and 5pm on Saturday, May 8.

But Athletic's rivals also have tough tasks to avoid relegation. Here is the our rundown on League One's other basement battlers:

YEOVIL
The Huish Park side have lost three of their last four to slip into trouble, though by the sound of it came close to grabbing a draw against Leeds on Easter Monday.

A victory over Stockport this weekend would help to ease West Country nerves.

TO PLAY: Stockport (A, April 10), Millwall (H, April 13), Southampton (H, April 17), Brentford (A, April 24), Oldham (H, May 1), Brighton (A, May 8).

VERDICT: Should just about be safe.


HARTLEPOOL
Two wins in three days have suddenly catapulted the North-East side out of immediate danger and with good players like Andy Monkhouse and Adam Boyd in their side, Hartlepool are always a threat.

The fixture compiler has left them with an attractive set of matches with which to finish off the season.

TO PLAY: Wycombe (A, April 10), Stockport (H, April 13), Colchester (H, April 17), Walsall (A, April 24), Exeter (H, May 1), Brentford (A, May 8).

VERDICT: Decent form should see them home.


EXETER

With three wins out of their last five matches and only one loss in the last eight, the unpredictable Grecians have bounced back well after losing 1-0 at home to rock-bottom Stockport.

Paul Tisdale's side will need a couple more wins, starting with Orient this weekend, in an archetypal six-pointer.

TO PLAY: Leyton Orient (H, April 10), Swindon (A, April 12), Tranmere (A, April 17), Charlton (H, April 24), Hartlepool (A, May 1), Huddersfield (H, May 8).

VERDICT: Enough fighting spirit to stay in League One.


GILLINGHAM

Of all the sides in trouble, no-one has a set of fixtures quite as daunting as the Gills.

Not particularly impressive at Boundary Park recently and without an away win all season, Mark Stimson's men are up against it and will do well to go into the last game at Wycombe with a fighting chance.

TO PLAY: Millwall (A, April 10), Brighton (H, April 13), Leeds (H, April 17), Norwich (A, April 24), Southampton (H, May 1), Wycombe (A, May 8).

VERDICT: Severely tough fixtures indicate danger.


LEYTON ORIENT

Orient chairman Barry Hearn sacked boss Geraint Williams after the recent loss to Hartlepool and now have Russell Slade in charge as they bid to eke out enough points to stay up.

Every game they face is against a side battling either for promotion or against the drop — with the possible exception of Stockport and Wycombe, who could both be down by the time they travel to Brisbane Road.

TO PLAY: Exeter (A, April 10), Norwich (H, April 13), Stockport (H, April 17), Millwall (A, April 24), Wycombe (H, May 1), Colchester (A, May 8).

VERDICT: Could all come down to the final day at Colchester.


TRANMERE

Managed to astonish most neutrals by defeating Norwich 3-1 at home in a game of two penalties, a red card and visiting manager Paul Lambert being sent to the stands at Prenton Park.

Rovers have a couple of home matches left against fellow strugglers and will need to summon up a similar spirit to avoid the drop.

TO PLAY: Walsall (A, April 10), Wycombe (H, April 13), Exeter (H, April 17), Brentford (A, April 20), Colchester (A, April 24),

VERDICT: Well set to survive.

SOUTHEND

The Shrimpers have won only once this year amid off-field turmoil with the HMRC over an unpaid tax bill.

Despite the best efforts of two strikers with past links to Athletic, Scott Spencer and Scott Vernon, a 3-0 loss at Gillingham on Easter Monday leaves the Essex side in a very big relegation-shaped hole.

TO PLAY: Leeds (A, April 10), Brentford (H, April 13), Brighton (H, April 17), Oldham (A, April 24), Stockport (H, May 1), Southampton (A, May 8).

VERDICT: Highly likely to finish third-from-bottom.

WYCOMBE

Even an amazing run of six successive wins may not be enough to save Wycombe Wanderers now, following a pair of 2-1 defeats over Easter, at home to Huddersfield and away to Walsall two days later.

It is now a near-impossible task for Gary Waddock's side, who have won once in eight matches since seeing off Millwall 1-0 at Adams Park in mid-February.

TO PLAY: Hartlepool (H, April 10), Tranmere (A, April 13), MK Dons (A, April 17), Swindon (H, April 24), Leyton Orient (A, May 1), Gillingham (H, May 8).

VERDICT: Doomed.

STOCKPORT

Near certainties for the drop to League Two, Gary Ablett's side will be confirmed as relegated if they fail to pick up three points against Yeovil at Edgeley Park on Saturday.

The hope now is that a club take-over will finally take place to enable County to start next season in League Two.

TO PLAY: Yeovil (H, April 10), Hartlepool (A, April 13), Leyton Orient (A, April 17), Huddersfield (H, April 24), Southend (A, May 1), Tranmere (H, May 8).

VERDICT: As good as down.