Power Rankings – Shefield Wednesday, Harrogate Town & Bradford City set early pace in Yorkshire ‘standings’

Here are the early pacesetters with form based on the last six games in all competitions.

1: Sheffield Wednesday (DDDWWW) – Bit of a turnaround, eh? Wednesday are basking in the glow of a club record run of clean sheets at the start of a campaign - an excellent and stingy five so far.

More pertinently, Darren Moore’s side have made a rock-solid, terrific, unbeaten start to life in League One following last season’s relegation lows and last weekend’s derby win at Rotherham laid down an early marker. Victory at Morecambe on Saturday would round off an awesome August.

2: Harrogate Town (WWLWWW) – Their first month of the campaign may have been curtailed by Covid issues, but there has been no disruption on the pitch. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Simon Weaver’s side, one of four unbeaten sides in League Two in 2021-22 and one of two sides boasting a 100 per cent record along with Forest Green, can create a spot of history if they beat Exeter at the weekend. It will register a fourth successive EFL win for the first time in the club’s history.

3: Bradford City (LDLWWW) – Like at Sheffield Wednesday, the dark clouds are parting and some warm sunshine is making a welcome appearance.

City have produced just the sort of start that Derek Adams and everyone of a claret and amber persuasion would have been hankering for, with the club having enjoyed their best opening to a season in five years. A second unbeaten Yorkshire side at League Two level, City have fired out a message to their rivals. Not bad considering that they did not win in their final seven games of last term.

4: Leeds United (WWWLDW) – Comfortable progression - eventually - in the Carabao Cup and playing their part in full in an entertaining home opener with Everton suggests that all is well again after a tough opening day at the office for Leeds. The stats show that Leeds are unbeaten in eight at home since late February and have lost just once at Elland Road in ten outings.

They head over the Pennines to Burnley this weekend, having beaten the Clarets 4-0 at Turf Moor in mid-May.

5: Huddersfield Town (DDLWWL) – After a grim 5-1 loss in their home opener with Fulham, Town have delivered a timely and meaningful response of character by way of successive league wins and a spirited cup performance against Everton. Victory against Reading on Saturday would move their haul of Championship points into the impressive double-figure mark ahead of the first international break and register a third consecutive league win for the first time in the tenure of Carlos Corberan. A nice incentive, that.

6: Rotherham United (DWLLWL) – It is probably fair to say that it is how the Millers fare in Saturday’s home derby with Doncaster Rovers that will determine whether they have a good start to the season, an okay one or a disappointing one.

Beaten by visiting Sheffield Wednesday last weekend, United will be hoping for better on the derby stakes seven days on and history is comforting in that regard. They have not lost at home to Rovers since March, 1985.

7: Barnsley (DDDWLD) – Like with their Dearne Valley neighbours Rotherham, Saturday’s result against Birmingham will determine whether Barnsley have had a good, average or slightly underwhelming start to the new campaign.All told, the Reds have won just once in nine matches and victory over the Blues would be a nice settler ahead of the first international break and it certainly would for new head coach Markus Schopp.

8: Middlesbrough (LDLWLD) – Aside from a madcap home loss to QPR, it’s been an okay start from Boro, if not spectacular, with Neil Warnock seeking to bring in more attacking options ahead of their deadline. They face a bogey side in Tony Mowbray’s Blackburn on Saturday. Rovers are unbeaten on their last six visits to Teesside and Boro have beaten them just once at home in their past 12 outings.

9: Sheffield United (LWDLLW) – Came from behind to win for just the second time in 2021 against Derby in the Carabao Cup in midweek, but it is league matters which is the major priority for Slavisa Jokanovic following a tough winless start thus far. United may be down on signings, but need to buck up fast and start getting their show on the road, with forthcoming games in store against the likes of Luton, Peterborough, Preston and Hull.

10: Hull City (LWDLLL) – Three successive league defeats - with no goals scored - has provided a bit of a ‘Welcome to the Championship’ for Hull after the euphoria of the handsome opening-day success at Preston. Without some key attacking players, Hull must dig in to some degree at home to a well-fancied Bournemouth side this weekend.

11: Doncaster Rovers (LDLLDL) – Currently down on options and goals, for sure, but Richie Wellens and the Rovers hierarchy are intent on looking at the long game, although a win or two would not half be nice in the short-term... It has been a hard 2021 thus far for Rovers, who have won just two of their last 22 fixtures in all competitions in regulation time and you have to go back to March 6 for their last home victory. Next up? Only a derby trip to Rotherham where injury-hit Rovers have not won since the mid-80s.