As we prepare for our 12:30 PM kick-off against Stevenage on Saturday, we have a prime opportunity to leapfrog Leyton Orient and secure a spot in the League One play-off positions.
A victory or even a draw in Saturday's early fixture would lift us above Orient into sixth place, while they are busy with the small matter of playing an out of sorts Manchester City in the FA Cup. A good result would also put pressure on our other main rivals, Reading and Bolton, in their 3pm kick-offs. Maybe significantly too, Stockport are at home to Barnsley in League One's other early kick off, where fourth comes up against tenth. Stevenage, however, with 40 points (only four fewer than us and with a game in hand) will also see themselves as being part of the promotion picture. This belief will have been strengthened since they handed Wrexham their first home defeat in 22 games two weeks ago.
Surprisingly too, or maybe scarily, we haven't beaten Stevenage since that excellent 8-0 thumping in The Football League Trophy back in October 2018. Looking back now, that team sheet seems almost like a pub quiz 'Where are they now?' round. Remember Toby Stevenson? Admittedly, nor did we, until writing this preview. However he's a blast from a past when maybe we never expected to be so close in League position to a club whose debut appearance in the English Football League came less than fifteen years ago, back in August 2010.
League One though has very little respect for reputation as shown time and time again. If we're to get out of this division, we're going to have to fight for our place in the sun, which might just about be here when play-off time comes around. To get there, we're going to need to pick up points against those around us, hopefully starting with breaking our duck against Stevenage. They'll almost certainly be no pushovers though, having won one and drawn three of our last four meetings. They have the second best defensive record in League One and they arrive at The Valley in good form with nine points from their last three games - beating Barnsley away and demolishing Exeter 4-1 in addition to that win at Wrexham. They have a decent squad further bolstered by the signing of Kyle Edwards from Oxford United just this week in the transfer window. The Addicks too have been in the market, even if not as prolifically as fans might have liked, and come into the clash with Tom McIntyre and Alex Gilbert added to the squad.
Mind you, right from the start of the window, Nathan Jones said that this window would be streamlining rather than acquisition, so none of this was really surprising. The focus now has to be on picking up points and building on the momentum gathered in the few games before last weekend's late blip at Blackpool. We've consolidated our position in the promotion pack over the winter and now it is time to head towards mid-February with a spring in our step. Based on recent home form, we should break our duck against Stevenage. So hopefully it's onwards and upwards this weekend.