Power Rankings: Barnsley and Leeds United on the rise, Bradford and the Blades slip

Middlesbrough have been impressive throughout the season, despite a recent blip, but this week Hull City climbed to the top of the table.

That rise is reflected in the Power Rankings, as is Barnsley’s recent success and Leeds’ morale boosting pair of results.

Find out where your team ranks in this week’s Yorkshire Post Power Rankings:

1) Hull City (up one)

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Just when it looked like they were out, they pulled it back in.

Hull underwent a bit of a blip over the festive period, but a run of five wins in succession have put them on top of the Championship.

The latest of these came against Fulham on Saturday, the Tigers triumphant in a 1-0 win.

They have rightfully risen to the top of the Power Rankings as a result.

2) FC Halifax Town (down one)

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A 1-1 draw against Woking knocks the Shaymen down a place in the Power Rankings.

However, Jim Harvey’s men will not be complaining, having climbed up to 20th over the last few months.

That is a significant turnaround from earlier this season when relegation looked a certainty rather than a likelihood.

They now host Welling United on Saturday in a game that could see them continue to rise up the National League.

3) Barnsley (up three)

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Lee Johnson’s team are now up to 13th in League One, a sensational position given they lost seven matches in a row earlier this season.

Five wins in their last six have been a big difference maker, and on Tuesday night they managed to beat Bradford City 1-0 at Valley Parade.

Looking over the last eight games, Barnsley are the form team in League One, with no side earning more points than them.

Bizarrely they are now only seven points away from sixth. Could they continue their surge over the second half of the season?

4) Sheffield Wednesday (down one)

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A slight blow for Sheffield Wednesday at the weekend as they could only manage a 1-1 draw against Reading.

However, the Madejski Stadium is never an easy place to visit and a point is always a respectable return from a game against the Royals.

The Owls are sixth in the Championship and still look likely to be play-off contenders this season.

That is about where they would expect to be come the end of the campaign.

5) Middlesbrough (down one)

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Three losses in four games represents a crisis at the Riverside Stadium.

Let’s not panic too much - after all, Middlesbrough are still second in the Championship and four points clear of third-placed Burnley with a game in-hand.

Other teams around them are also going through slumps, not least Derby who are struggling to cope with the expectation.

A 1-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest at home was a bit of a shocker, however, and Boro have rightfully dropped down the rankings.

6) Huddersfield Town (down two)

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A 2-1 defeat against Brighton away from home is not exactly a bad result.

After all, the Seagulls have been among the promotion pack throughout the campaign.

It does represent a second blow in a row for the Terriers, who finally looked to be picking up some real form under David Wagner.

That explains their fall to sixth in the Power Rankings. They host Cardiff City on Saturday, an opportunity to get three points on the board and a run back together.

7) Doncaster Rovers (-)

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A blip was always to be expected for Doncaster Rovers, who surged up League One on the back of Darren Ferguson’s appointment.

However, the draw against Fleetwood Town and the loss against Port Vale has completely stopped them in their tracks.

They have dropped below Barnsley in the league.

They will now be looking to their game against Walsall to provide a much-needed improvement.

8) Leeds United (up four)

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Leeds were boosted at the start of the week by Toumani Diagouraga’s arrival, the addition of a player of some quality in the Championship.

That followed a 1-0 win against Bristol City which felt more like a defeat to some people, given the lack of quality on show.

They did manage to earn a 1-1 draw against Brentford on Tuesday night, and with two decent results on the spin they understandably climb the Power Rankings.

The weekend brings Bolton in the FA Cup. A cup run is one of few things left to cling onto at Elland Road.

9) Guiseley (up one)

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It is a symbol of Guiseley’s incredible rise that they managed to beat a big club in Kidderminster Harriers at the weekend.

Not only that, but the Lions did so while occupying a much higher position than their hosts.

Unfortunately, there are now suggestions that they might be relegated as they struggle to get their stadium up to scratch.

That would be a real misfortune, not least because in footballing terms they do not deserve to be hit with such a punishment.

10) Sheffield United (down two)

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It’s the curse of the Power Rankings compiler - the week after we compliment The Blades for winning games, they go and draw two on the spin.

That’s no real crisis, but it does stop their charge towards the play-off places.

Admittedly, they are close enough but would have been in sixth spot today had they managed to beat Blackpool away from home on Tuesday.

They do, however, look as though they will be involved come May.

11) Rotherham United (down two)

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Rotherham are somewhat unfortunate to drop down the rankings.

Their 2-2 draw away from home against Cardiff City was impressive, although they did concede late on.

Also, as we often repeat, their aim this season is 21st or higher. They are currently 21st, and that would be a cause for celebration come the end of the season.

Crisis club Charlton are the visitors on Saturday, with a trip to Bolton lined up the week after. Two relegation six-pointers beckon - Neil Redfearn’s side could be in a vastly different place two weeks from now.

12) York City (up one)

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Amid all of the circumstance surrounding Carlisle’s return to Brunton Park, there was a game of football to be played.

York City turned up, earning a 1-1 draw that put an end to a run of two defeats on the spin.

It was an important point, as now the Minstermen are only three points away from safety with a game in-hand.

That explains their rise, although the fact they remain 24th means they only climb a single place.

13) Bradford City (down two)

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Bradford City drop to the bottom of the Power Rankings after three poor results on the spin.

First there was the FA Cup defeat against Bury, which was followed by a draw with Port Vale on Saturday and a loss to Barnsley on Tuesday night.

The last of the sequence will have been the most damaging.

Phil Parkinson’s side need to get back to winning ways if they want to improve on last season’s finish of 7th, something they have managed to do in every year of his reign so far.