Season enters last fortnight. Colchester preview.

Last updated : 18 April 2003 By Michael Morris
Four games to play for each of the challengers.

Crewe
Swindon (h)
Barnsley (a)
Q.P.R (a)
Cardiff (h)

Cardiff
Colchester (h)
Bristol City (a)
Wigan (h)
Crewe (a)

Bristol City
Luton (a)
Cardiff (h)
Chesterfield (a)
Port Vale (h)


All the clubs play tomorrow, will any take an advantage? and will any lose ground? Of the three fixtures Bristol City's trip to Luton would look the trickiest, Luton have nothing to play for but are considered a bit of a bogey side for Bristol City. Chesterfield have an 11 point gap over the drop zone, they are all but mathematically safe from the drop. They are a form team though, only one defeat in recent memory and unbeaten in the last 7 so Cardiff will not find it easy.

Swindon need to earn a point or two more to ensure second division safety, they have an 8 point cushion wich should be enough already but one more result would make sure. Let's hope they can get something from the Crewe game.

Oldham in 5th are at home to Chesterfield while Q.P.R in 6th are away at Brentford. A win for Oldham would virtually assure their play off place and they could still harbor hopes of automatic but with a 6 point deficit it's unlikely. Rangers need to keep Tranmere at bay. Tranmere are 5 points behind Rangers and do not have to play any of the top 6 in their last 4 games.

On the pitch Cardiff can chose from a 19 man squad. Andy Campbell joins the 18 that travelled to Peterborough.

Lennie has hinted there may be changes. Last Tuesdays line up was

Margetson, Weston, Gabbidon, Barker, Croft, Ainsworth, Bland, Kavanagh, Mahon, Earnshaw, Thorne.

Subs were Alexander, Legg, Collins, Bonner, Gordon. Add to that Whalley, Bowen and Campbell are in the squad and are available for selection.

There is no firm word on what changes may occur but speculation that Bonner or Whalley may come into a three man midfield is one possibility, Campbell could get onto the bench or Lennie will give Tuesday's team a chance to right the wrongs of London Rd.

There is no room for error anymore. City can still win all four remaining games and go up, it could go either way, two freak results could see City confirmed in the play offs by next Saturday or could see City promoted at Ninian Park against Wigan in a weeks time. It's nip and tuck, all we can do is support our own team to three points tomorrow, anything that comes our way from Crewe and Bristol is a bonus.

Each game is huge, but it's one game at a time.

Lawrence wants no mention of Crewe in the dressing room.

"I don't want to hear it because if we don't beat Colchester United tomorrow we may be out of it by the time we go to Crewe," Lawrence told the Echo.

"People keep telling me this will go to the last match of the season, but I'm not interested. We have to earn that right before we can even think of that. We have to beat Colchester United tomorrow and that is all anybody on the playing and coaching staff should be thinking about.

"Nothing else matters apart from winning at home tomorrow. I am not worried about how other teams are getting on or wondering what might happen in the future. It's all about Cardiff City and our next match, which right now is Colchester United. It is, until 5pm tomorrow, the most important match of our season."

Robert Earnshaw will again look to score his 31st and record breaking league goal. Earnie has not scored in 4 games and is due a goal or two. Peter Thorne has scored 5 in the last 4 games.

Cardiff City v Colchester Utd
Saturday 19th April 3:00pm.