YP Power Rankings: Millers, Reds and Shaymen lead way

Rotherham United and Barnsley, after dispiriting runs in the first half of the season, continue to blossom, but it is tough at the bottom for the likes of York City, Doncaster Rovers and Guiseley.

Latest Power Rankings ahead of Easte:

1: Rotherham United LWWWDW (unchanged).

A second week at the summit for the Millers, who ended a magnificent March with another head-turning result, triumphing 1-0 at Ipswich Town and again showing their insatiable team ethic. During their early Spring renaissance under Neil Warnock, Rotherham have taken 13 points from the last 15 available - having amassed 11 points from the previous 45 on offer. Fantastic transformation.

2: Barnsley DWWWLW (unchanged).

A thoroughly professional 2-0 victory at Fleetwood has enabled the Reds to jump back into the top six and get back on the ‘horse’ after a rare home loss to Southend. Two league defeats in 17 now for the Oakwell outfit, beaten just once in nine away League One matches since November 24 and having won their past three. Impressive and consistent.

3: FC Halifax Town DWLWDD (unchanged).

A Wembley final berth in the FA Trophy was secured thanks to a not altogether straightforward weekend draw with seventh-tier outfit Nantwich Town at The Shay as Halifax won 6-4 on aggregate in their semi-final. A place in the final should provide a momentum boost to the club’s safety quest and they are in a good spirits ahead of Easter games with relegation rivals Altrincham along with Barrow.

4: Sheffield Wednesday DDLDWW (up two).

After a little wobble, the Owls are firmly back on track after posting three-goal wins over Nottingham Forest and Charlton Athletic, without conceding a goal, displaying plenty of élan in the process.

Suddenly, a run of five games without a win has turned around to seven points from the last nine. The perfect springboard for Wednesday for the push for home.

5: Huddersfield Town DLLWLW (up two).

Second-best during the previous weekend against title favourites Burnley, Huddersfield signed off for Easter with a stunning second-half performance en route to an emphatic 4-1 derby success at Leeds United, their biggest win at Elland Road since 1960 - in one of the sweetest victories that Town followers have heralded for some time.

It was a marquee result for Town and a huge public relations coup with many fans now clamouring on board onto the ‘Wagner Revolution’ and having gleefully snapped up cut-price season tickets. All aboard.

6: Bradford City WLDWWL (down one).

Disappointment en route to a 1-0 loss at League One promotion rivals Wigan, with Haris Vuckic netting a late winner for the Latics. Bradford have no reason to beat themselves up with Phil Parkinson’s side strongly placed ahead of the final month-and-a-half of the campaign, which is shaping to be a pivotal one in their quest to end their exile from what they see as their rightful place in the second-tier.

7: Leeds United DLWWWL (down three).

After the highs of three wins on the spin and all talk of recording a fourth consecutive league win for the first time since November, 2009, Leeds - as is often their wont - imploded and produced a wretched derby performance against a rampant Huddersfield Town side who could easily have triumphed by a far bigger margin at Elland Road, despite being handsome 4-1 winners. Goodwill was lost in front of a big crowd of not far shy of 30,000, with recrimination in the air and momentum spectacularly lost in a disastrous result. Back to square one.

8: Middlesbrough WLWLLW (plus three).

After a week from hell on and off the pitch, pressure was cranked upon Middlesbrough’s in-the-dock players and manager Aitor Karanka, who dare not lose in his quest to re-establish himself in the dug-out after a chaotic week. As Napeleon Bonaparte used to say, give me lucky generals and Karanka was certainly fortuitous as his Boro side netted a last-gasp win in a promotion six-pointer with Hull City. David Nugent’s late winner might be a seminal moment in Boro’s quest for the top flight.

9: Sheffield United WLLDWL (unchanged).

Maddeningly inconsistent, it was a case of one step forward, one back for the Blades, beaten 1-0 at Millwall - seven days on from beating Oldham. Time is running out if they are to keep their slim play-off hopes alive.

10: Hull City DLLDDL (down one).

Things looked set fair after Mo Diame’s winner in a 1-0 success at Ipswich Town on February 27, but things have massively gone awry since with Hull without a win in five league matches and seriously struggling for goals, having netted three times in their past five Championship outings.

All told, you sense the international break has come at a useful juncture for Steve Bruce’s side to regroup.

11: Guiseley LDDLDL (down one).

Starting to look over their shoulders and desperate for a win on home soil at Nethermoor, where they have not taken three points since the end of November, with winter postponements compounding the sequence.

Mark Bower’s side are hobbling with discomfort towards the safety line, having not won in seven National League matches and their margin for error is being reduced. Big Easter with games against Southport and Chester.

12: York City LLLLDL (unchanged).

When it rains, it pours, with York in terrible strife in the League Two relegation positions and on a bit of a wing and prayer after a spectacular late winner from Jake Reeves earned Wimbledon a 2-1 win at the weekend. Seven points adrift of safety with just nine games left, it is now or never in the Minstermen’s bid to remain in the Football League.

13: Doncaster Rovers DLLLLL (unchanged).

Desperate times for Rovers, who were left floored by a colossal if self-inflicted haymaker in a shattering late defeat to Peterborough on Saturday - when their performance merited three points.

Five successive defeats, nine losses in their last 10 outings and 13 games without a league win and now in the bottom four, the numbers are starting to massively stack up against Darren Ferguson’s side who face two ‘World Cup finals’ never mind ‘Cup finals’ against Colchester and Blackpool over Easter.