How Barnsley, Rotherham United, Doncaster Rovers, Hull City & Harrogate Town hope to prosper on Tuesday night

Rotherham United, Doncaster Rovers, Hull City and Harrogate Town all have important home fixtures, while Barnsley visit Watford. Here is the low-down ahead of all five matches.

Rotherham United v Stoke City: By common consent, if the Millers finish fourth from bottom in the Championship by the end of the season, it will be ‘job done.’ Or as Paul Warne puts it, a ‘colossal achievement’. It is hard to argue with him.

So far this season, United have chipped away and the precious currency of victories against the likes of Derby and Bristol City are keeping them afloat and in the game.

Tonight is Paul Warne’s 200th match in charge of his beloved Millers. He has done - and is doing - a fine job with limited resources.

He may be more concerned with this fact. Prior to Saturday’s win at Derby, Rotherham’s previous five league successes in 2020-21 have been followed by instant defeats.

It is perhaps why even a point this evening against a Stoke side who boast the best defensive away record in the division would not be sniffed at.

Depending on Derby’s result against Bournemouth, it would move them out of the bottom three. A win? Well, that would be perfect and send shivers down the spines of some big clubs just above the Millers.

Watford v Barnsley – The shrewdies always knew that January would be the ultimate barometer for Barnsley amid a difficult looking fixture list and so it is proving to be the case.

Barnsley’s 18-point haul in an outstanding December which saw them beat several teams in the bottom half of the Championship was outstanding. Doing it against business teams in Norwich, Swansea and Watford in the New Year is another thing entirely.

Valerien Ismael’s side were edged out at Carrow Road, despite a game performance and were the architects of their own downfall by making key mistakes against Swansea.

Now it is onto Watford and can Barnsley cut out the errors from the weekend and piece together a performance and result which would be as significant as any so far this season?

Doncaster Rovers v Rochdale – Canvass managers across the EFL and if they are asked to nominate the two individuals who are making the best out of what they have got and are doing miraculous jobs in the circumstances, then the names of Darren Moore and John Coleman - who used to manage Rochdale - will crop up.

Accrington, who play Hull tonight (see below) have no right to be present at the top end of League One and neither have Rovers, despite being a club who have relatively recent experience of the Championship.

Moore, whose recruitment has chiefly revolved around canny loans and the free transfer market, has had to make do with what he has got. Rovers’ resources are scant and for Moore to keep the bandwagon rolling and maintain the club’s position in the top-six would be remarkable, especially given the departure of the talismanic Ben Whiteman, with some untimely injuries further weakening his hand.

With little money to bring in new recruits, Moore must think on his feet and show tactical ingenuity to negotiate matches on a game-by-game basis at the minute. Fortunately, he is pretty good at that. But he will need some help if Rovers are to last the course.

Hull City v Accrington – Tonight is the first leg of a Roses double header with Accrington, with Hull making the reverse trip to Lancashire in seven days’ time.

Under John Coleman (see above) Stanley are the surprise packages of League One and represent a dangerous opponent for the Tigers, whose goals for record at the KCOM Stadium is not that of an automatic promotion contender.

Hull have scored just 11 goals in ten home league matches, although on the flip side, they have conceded just seven times.

They must make do without the suspended Reece Burke tonight and despite the concern over goals, Grant McCann would probably gladly take a scruffy 1-0 in difficult conditions tonight against a capable opponent who have won their last two league away games 2-0 at Charlton and Gillingham.

Harrogate Town v Exeter City – To be fair to Harrogate Town, they are doing everything in their powers to make sure they are well equipped to hold onto their hard-earned league status.

Six players have already arrived this month, with Simon Weaver assigned with assimilating them in his plans and ideas as quickly as possible.

In the here and now, Harrogate are entitled to look over their shoulders towards the foot of League Two, while being mindful of the fact that they have not picked up three points on home soil since October 17.

That must change fast if Town are to afford themselves a smooth second half of the season.

Ravaged by the weather in recent times, their pitch at Wetherby Road will hardly be a bowling green. For Harrogate, it is about finding a way however it comes in the games ahead at home. A couple of ugly wins would do nicely in the circumstances.

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