YP: '˜Power Rankings' - Barnsley take pole position as Leeds United & Sheffield United slide

It is ‘squeaky-bum time’ as Sir Alex Ferguson used to call it.

It is a time for nerves and that is borne out in the respective updated positions in this week’s table - with a couple of big movers and fallers.

1: Barnsley (up one). WLWDWW

The remarkable Reds renaissance continues with caretaker head coach Paul Heckingbottom taking to management like the proverbial duck to water.

After an away success at Crewe, Barnsley followed up with a keynote win over Coventry in which they displayed a fair amount of élan. It helped them record a sixth successive Oakwell league win for the first time since December, 1994 as they moved level on points with the Sky Blues, who occupy the final League One play-off place only on goal difference.

Coventry were in the automatic promotion positions when they beat Barnsley at the start of the November while the Reds were in the drop zone, 17 points behind the Midlanders. Proof if anything of Barnsley’s magnificent new year rise.

2: Hull City (down one). LWDDWD

The Tigers are in action at Birmingham this evening where they will be hoping their stingy defensive statistics on the road and general upturn on their travels will take them back to the summit.

Last time out, Steve Bruce’s men were pegged back in a 0-0 derby draw with visiting Sheffield Wednesday, their second successive KC stalemate, with teams clearly coming to East Yorkshire and putting up the shutters.

All told, City are still in an extremely good place in the automatic promotion stakes. Finish above them and a top-two place, quite possibly the Championship title beckons.

3: Sheffield Wednesday (no change). DWWLDD

It proved a mixed night for the Owls, who secured a very creditable point at Hull, but lost Fernando Forestieri to another red card, with the diminutive frontman receiving his marching orders for simulation for the second consecutive game - meaning he will miss the big South Yorkshire derby with Rotherham United.

With the season now in March, the Owls are still in credit, despite a run of three matches without a win.

4: FC Halifax Town (up one). WLWLDD

After a weekend draw with Gateshead, the Shaymen showed their mettle and character to book their place in the last four of the FA Trophy for the first time in their history with a famous penalty shoot-out replay win against Heed - managed by ex-manager Neil Aspin - in the north-east on Wednesday, thanks to a penalty from Matty Brown in a 5-4 success after a pulsating tie ended 3-3. The game followed a 0-0 draw in Calderdale.

A Great Escape from relegation and a tilt at Trophy glory is firmly in the club’s sights.

In a tough season, a shaft of light is appearing for Halifax, whose confidence should be on the rise after Wednesday.

5: Middlesbrough (down one). DDDWWL

After restorative victories over Cardiff and Fulham to get their promotion bandwagon back on course, Boro again fluffed their lines with an abject loss at Blackburn, with defender Ben Gibson admitting that the Teessiders were bullied on the night.

It was also a night when Aitor Karanka made a barbed comments towards Boro supporters, a possible indicator that the pressure is getting to the Spaniard. Boro welcome Wolves tomorrow - and dare not lose..

6: Huddersfield Town (down one). LLWWDL

Town suffered an unfortunate weekend loss to Ipswich, in which they were genuinely perceived as unlucky, with an injury to midfield grafter Jon Hogg compounding matters.

Still, Town, who visit bogey venue Derby at the weekend, are still in a decent place and have every chance of recording their best finish since returning to the second tier. A defined upturn under Herr Wagner.

7: Guiseley (up one). DWLDLD

Arguably the most controversial goal of the season provided Guiseley with a point last time out against Braintree - with Oli Norburn’s pass back to the visiting goalkeeper after the ball was sportingly put out of play by a Braintree player inexplicably finding its way into the net at Nethermoor and the goal standing in a 1-1 draw.

Fury was rife among the Braintree contingent, with Guiseley refusing them let them walk the ball in from the restart to retake the lead and accused of unsporting behaviour - although Lions chief Mark Bower was adamant that the mistake was made by the goalkeeper.

A point for Guiseley, and perhaps a key one. But at a cost maybe.

8: Rotherham United (up five). LLDLLW

Huge movers this week and proof that three points at this time of season can be massive. Survived a fitful refereeing performance from Mark Brown to claim a huge win against Brentford to move within three points of safety, with relegation rivals MK Dons’ late loss at Blackburn Rovers being another most welcome development on a Super Saturday - never mind Super Tuesday.

The Millers were in-your-face, committed and unstinting in their work ethic and bore the hallmarks of a Neil Warnock side as they breathed new life into their survival bid after their first win in eight, with the sight of two forwards scoring also a key development.

9: Bradford City (down one). LWWDWL

A funny old week for City, who chiselled out a hard-fought Roses win at Blackpool before surprisingly losing 2-1 at home to relegation-haunted Colchester United on a night when Phil Parkinson’s night could have moved into the top six for the first time with victory.

Bradford are still well placed for the play-offs, but Tuesday represented a big opportunity spurned - a shock given the club’s strong form against League One toilers this season.

10: Leeds United (down three). WLDLDL

One of those desperate ‘crisis’ results that Leeds tend to throw in at least once a season arrived at Brighton, with an appalling and disgraceful first-half seeing the Whites turn around 4-0 down.

Steve Evans came under the microscope afterwards and was told not to speak with the press - indicating that he was ripe for the chop by owner Massimo Cellino, who left the Amex Stadium at half-time on Monday night.

Cellino has given the Scot a vote of confidence of sorts, but telling him to keep his mouth shut and talk only about the football and not the future.

Next up are Bolton - a good game on paper, but if Leeds lose, the dreaded words relegation battle may enter the scene.

11: York City (down one). WWLLLL

It’s the hope that kills you. After recording three home wins for the first time in just under a year, the Minstermen have been handed a reality check by way of a defeat at Cambridge successive Bootham Crescent losses to Northampton and Luton and a 4-0 midweek drubbing at Oxford United - a torrid night and result.

After making headway, York are now two points adrift of safety at the bottom after fourth consecutive defeats now in which they have shipped 12 goals. Time is starting to run out.

12: Doncaster Rovers (no change). LLLLDL

Rovers put the wedge in the door with a weekend draw with a form side in Millwall, but failed to back things up with a poor midweek loss at Swindon, taking their winless streak in League One to a fraught nine games - ahead of a huge weekend six-pointer with Shrewsbury.

Rovers are two points and places above the relegation zone and sides below them are starting to fancy reeling them in - they look vulnerable. A drama at the Keepmoat has lurched into a crisis.

13: Sheffield United (down two). LWLWLL

In an increasingly parlous campaign, the Blades’ fortunes took another nosedive following a Roses loss at Rochdale - when the tinder-box atmosphere among Unitedites in the away section was obvious - and a home reverse to Burton as Nigel Clough make a victorious return to Bramall Lane following his sacking at the end of May.

League One’s biggest club find themselves in 12th place in the third tier, with their lack of consistency being pitiful. While they are not a million miles off the play-offs - four points as it stands - the season is in danger of petering out badly and into acrimony and possibly open revolt if the rot is not stopped.