Five key encounters for the weekend

So what of this weekend for Yorkshire clubs? The action is headlined by a huge South Yorkshire derby which has ramifications at both ends of the Championship between Sheffield Wednesday and Rotherham United.

After a torrid week, more especially for Steve Evans, Leeds United welcome Bolton Wanderers, a game you sense that the Scot dare not lose if he is to keep hold of his cherished post managing the Whites.

Elsewhere, the pick of the action sees Doncaster Rovers face a relegation six-pointer at home to Shrewsbury, while York City also have a huge game at the home of the side just below them in the Football League at Dagenham and Redbridge.

Barnsley at Walsall is also a juicy one, too, towards the business positions of League One.

Five key weekend meetings:

Sheffield Wednesday v Rotherham United. The spice is right for a derby cracker.

Only one place to start really - S6, with a figure that Wednesdayites love to hate and bait in Neil Warnock returning to Hillsborough with Rotherham United, who have not been beaten at the home of the Owls in five visits stretching back to September, 1981.

The Owls, who slipped up last time out at home in a 1-1 draw with QPR and are three without a victory, are without talisman striker Fernando Forestieri and know that they need to win to preserve their lofty position in the table.

The Millers come into the game with spirits restored after a much-needed victory over Brentford, which effectively kick-started the Warnock regime.

It is the first of four daunting looking games on paper, with Boro, Derby and Ipswich following the Owls. But inwardly you sense that Warnock is relishing playing the underdog card, it’s right up his street.

And one other things is for sure, he will take the pressure off his players ahead of Saturday’s derby.

Leeds United v Bolton Wanderers. Stakes are sky-high for Steve Evans.

Not so long back, this Roses game had the label of ‘dead rubber’ written all over it.

How times have changed, with Evans under the microscope and needing to find answers after a poor run of one win in 11 Championship matches.

If it extends much longer - regardless of Massimo Cellino’s public backing this week along with a caveat telling the Scot to concern himself with the here and now - it does not take a rocket scientist to deduce what will happen.

After a terrible performance at Brighton, Evans’s stock has significantly diminished. He will know he cannot afford anything resembling a repeat of that horror show on Monday - and needs points and a performance against Wanderers.

Doncaster Rovers v Shrewsbury Town. Games do not get much bigger for Donny.

It has been a desperate run for Rovers, without a win in eight matches and in a fair spot of relegation bother, with reservoirs of confidence and belief low again after a tepid midweek loss to Swindon.

Much of the damage has been done at home, where Rovers are without a win this calendar year and have lost four out of six matches, drawing the other two.

Not for the first time in recent years, wretched home form at the Keepmoat Stadium is bedevilling Rovers. They could pay a hefty price if things don’t improve fast.

Senior players need to stand up and take responsibility fast or else a second relegation in three seasons could turn into reality.

Walsall v Barnsley. Can the Reds take their second prized League One scalp in a week?

Ten wins in 12 league matches, the garden is looking radiant and rosy for Barnsley and you can bet your last penny that Walsall will be wary ahead of the arrival of the Reds.

Defensively, the Reds are starting to look increasingly sound - with visiting Coventry manager Tony Mowbray hailing the performances of Alfie Mawson and Marc Roberts as colossal following his side’s 2-0 midweek loss at Oakwell - and in midfield Conor Hourihane and Josh Brownhill look a pair in form.

Further forward, Ashley Fletcher is coming of age, Marley Watkins is an unsung hero and Harry Chapman looks a real ace in the pack - they all may have to mitigate for the loss of top-scorer Sam Winnall if he misses out through injury.

Dagenham v York City. Now or never for the Minstermen.

After chinks of light were afforded by a run of three home wins, reality has bitten for York, who have lost their past four outings and leaked a barrage of goals along the way.

They face the only side whose statistics have been worse than them this season in Dagenham, who are five points adrift of the Minstermen but with a game in hand.

The Daggers, incredibly, have not won once at home in 16 league games this term, with Saturday pretty much a last-chance saloon for them in their survival quest.

It is a game that York, if they are going to be realistic about staying up, really have to win. They trail third-from-bottom Hartlepool by two points, but Pools have three games in hand.

Some games are bigger than others and this one is monumental. A cup final in all but name.