White Rose sides set to be in mix beyond busy Easter

Playing two games in the space of three or four days means that football fans up and down the country will, come 5pm on Monday, have learned their team’s fate. Or so the theory goes.

The reality is rather different with even a year such as 2011, where Easter falls in late April, being unlikely to see too much settled in the Football League.

There will, of course, be the odd exception with the champagne having been on ice at QPR and Chesterfield for several weeks thanks to both clubs’ unerring ability to grind out results as their rivals falter. Likewise, though for vastly different reasons, Easter may well prove decisive for Sheffield United and their attempts to stay in the Championship.

But, for the vast majority of supporters, the nail-biting and gut-wrenching tension is likely to continue beyond this weekend and, more than likely, the one after as well.

This is certainly the case in Yorkshire, where the promotion pushes of Leeds United, Hull City, Huddersfield Town and Rotherham United all seem set to go to the wire, along with possibly Doncaster Rovers’ fight for survival.

Of the six White Rose sides with plenty still to play for, Leeds and Hull are chasing the biggest prize – a tilt at a return to the Premier League via the play-offs.

That Hull are in such a position with four games to go is testament to the job that is being done by Nigel Pearson.

His decision to leave Leicester City for the KC Stadium was one of the most surprising of last summer. Three months into the season and with the Tigers sitting third-bottom of the Championship, it looked an even more bizarre career choice.

Now, however, with his side sitting just two points adrift of Leeds in sixth place, Hull approach Easter in confident mood that a place in the top six is theirs for the taking.

A home game against Middlesbrough is, judging on how poor Tony Mowbray’s side were in losing at Burnley last Tuesday, not the most arduous of assignments and Hull will fancy their chances of claiming all three points. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about Monday’s trip to runaway leaders QPR – especially if Neil Warnock’s side need a point to clinch promotion.

Still, such is Hull’s form on the road that the possibility of Pearson’s men returning from Loftus Road with reward cannot be ruled out – meaning Leeds can afford no more slip-ups of their own when taking on Reading tonight and travelling to Crystal Palace on Monday.

With just six wins since Christmas, United have been undoubtedly helped by the failings of others in recent weeks.

Now, though, with not only Hull but also Nottingham Forest and Burnley on 63 points, the pressure is really on Simon Grayson’s side.

As focused as Hull and Leeds will be on doing their own jobs, they will also be keeping an eye on how their rivals do. In that respect, today’s 5.15pm contest between Forest and Leicester City will be of special interest, as will Burnley’s trip to Derby County tomorrow.

On Monday, Burnley will host Portsmouth as Forest travel to Bristol City.

At the other end of the Championship, Doncaster Rovers are looking to join Barnsley and Middlesbrough in reaching the safety target of 50 points sooner rather than later.

Having won just two of their last 20 league games, Rovers are in danger of being dragged into trouble. It means today’s sell-out game at home to fourth-bottom Crystal Palace, who have claimed just seven points on the road all season, is huge, hence the club’s decision to allow fans in for free.

Another Yorkshire side in action this afternoon is Huddersfield Town, who travel to Milton Keynes Dons knowing that even a draw will be enough to reclaim second place due to Southampton not being in action until tomorrow.

If Town could win, however, it would really pile the pressure on the Saints ahead of their trip to newly-crowned champions Brighton & Hove Albion.

Both clubs are back in action on Monday with Huddersfield hosting Dagenham & Redbridge and Southampton welcoming Hartlepool United to St Mary’s.

In League Two, Bradford City’s draw at home to Burton Albion in midweek means they are all but safe – especially as second-bottom Barnet are seven points adrift and face a tough run-in that includes meetings with Gillingham, Port Vale and Accrington Stanley, who are all chasing promotion.

That means Easter should be a relatively calm time for the Bantams. The same, though, cannot be said about Rotherham United following a collapse that few saw coming.

An eight-point haul from a possible 30 has seen the Millers slip to 10th and left new manager Andy Scott targeting back-to-back wins over Easter as his side travel to Northampton tonight and then host Gillingham on Monday.

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