Bolton Wanderers will have to be near flawless between now and the end of the season if they are to have a chance of reaching the play-offs.
Wanderers, having won promotion out of League Two last season, have ambitions of making it back-to-back successes with hopes of making the top six this campaign.
The dramatic late win against Crewe Alexandra thanks to Amadou Bakayoko's late strike ensured three vital points on the road as Wanderers kept their slim hopes of being in the play-offs by the end of April alive.
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The gap to the top six is nine points and Wanderers have a vital week when they return to action after the international break which could determine their campaign's outcome and have a big say in which division they will be playing in next season.
First up is a short trip to take on Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium, before home clashes against two sides who have play-off aspirations themselves in the form of Portsmouth and Sheffield Wednesday.
Wanderers then have clashes against sides which are in the bottom half of the table in the form of Doncaster Rovers and Accrington Stanley, before their final away day of the campaign against Cheltenham Town and ending the season at home to Fleetwood Town.
Of the final seven games, the Whites’ opponents have an average league position of 12.3.
Of the current top 11, Plymouth Argyle have by far the hardest run-in. The Pilgrims’ average opponent’s league position is 6.7, with their fixtures including meetings six games against the current top nine. The next lowest being fifth-placed Oxford United (11.1).
Wycombe Wanderers have the easiest set of fixtures, with an average opposition position of 15.1. Their run-in includes meetings against Doncaster Rovers, Gillingham and AFC Wimbledon, who sit inside the bottom five.
Here is a full look at the current top 11 sides in League One and what their run-ins look like between now and the end of the season.
Rotherham United- 1st
April 9 – Charlton Athletic (h) (15 th )
April 12 – Portsmouth (h) (10 th )
April 16 – Ipswich Town (h) (9 th )
April 19 – Burton Albion (a) (14 th )
April 23 – Oxford United (h) (5 th )
April 26 – Sunderland (a) (6 th )
April 30 – Gillingham (a) (20 th )
Matches: 7
Average league position of opponent: 11.3
Wigan Athletic - 2nd
April 2 – Bolton Wanderers (h) (11 th )
April 5 – Accrington Stanley (h) (13 th )
April 9 – Lincoln City (a) (18th)
April 12 – Burton Albion (a) (14 th )
April 16 – Cambridge United (h) (17 th )
April 19 – Ipswich Town (a) (9 th )
April 23 – Plymouth Argyle (h) (4 th )
April 26 – Portsmouth (a) (10th)
April 30 – Shrewsbury Town (a) (16 th )
Matches: 9
Average league position of opponent: 12.4
Milton Keynes Dons - 3rd
April 2 – Shrewsbury Town (h) (16 th )
April 5 – Crewe Alexandra (h) (24 th )
April 9 – AFC Wimbledon (a) (21 st )
April 16 – Sheffield Wednesday (h) (7 th )
April 19 – Oxford United (a) (5 t h )
April 23 – Morecambe (h) (22 nd )
April 30 – Plymouth Argyle (a) (4 th )
Matches: 7
Average league position of opponent: 14.1
Plymouth Argyle - 4th
March 26 – Ipswich Town (a) (9 th )
April 2 – Oxford United (h) (5 th )
April 9 – Burton Albion (a) (14 th )
April 15 – Wycombe Wanderers (a) (8 th )
April 18 – Sunderland (h) (6 th )
April 23 – Wigan Athletic (a) (2 nd )
April 30 – Milton Keynes Dons (h) (3 rd )
Matches: 7
Average league position of opponent: 6.7
Oxford United - 5th
April 2 – Plymouth Argyle (a) (4 th )
April 5 – Morecambe (a) (22 nd )
April 9 – Sunderland (h) (6 th )
April 15 – Fleetwood Town (a) (19 th )
April 19 – Milton Keynes Dons (h) (3 rd )
April 24 – Rotherham United (a) (1 st )
April 30 – Doncaster Rovers (h) (23 rd )
Matches: 7
Average league position of opponent: 11.1
Sunderland - 6th
April 2 – Gillingham (h) (20 th )
April 9 – Oxford United (a) (5 th )
April 15 – Shrewsbury Town (h) (16 th )
April 18 – Plymouth Argyle (a) (4 th )
April 23 – Cambridge United (h) (17 th )
April 26 – Rotherham United (h) (7 th )
April 30 – Morecambe (a) (22 nd )
Matches: 7
Average league position of opponent: 12.7
Sheffield Wednesday - 7th
March 26 – Cheltenham Town (h) (12 th )
April 2 – AFC Wimbledon (h) (21 st )
April 9 – Bolton Wanderers (a) (11 th )
April 16 – Milton KeynesDons (a) (3 rd )
April 19 – Crewe Alexandra (h) (24 th )
April 23 – Wycombe Wanderers (a) (8 th )
April 26 – Fleetwood Town (a) (19 th )
April 30 – Portsmouth (h) (10 th )
Matches: 8
Average league position of opponent: 13.5
Wycombe Wanderers - 8th
April 2 – Doncaster Rovers (h) (23 rd )
April 5 – Cambridge United (a) (17 th )
April 9 – Gillingham (a) (20 th )
April 15 – Plymouth Argyle (h) (4 th )
April 18 – AFC Wimbledon (a) (21 st )
April 23 – Sheffield Wednesday (h) (7 th )
April 30 – Burton Albion (a) (14 th )
Matches: 7
Average league position of opponent: 15.1
Ipswich Town - 9th
March 26 – PlymouthArgyle (h) (4 th )
April 2 – Cambridge United (h) (17 th )
April 9 – Shrewsbury Town (a) (16 th )
April 16 – Rotherham United (a) (1 st )
April 19 – Wigan Athletic (h) (2 nd )
April 23 – Crewe Alexandra (a) (24 th )
April 30 – Charlton Athletic (h) (15th)
Matches: 7
Average league position of opponent: 11.3
Portsmouth - 10th
April 5 – Bolton Wanderers (a) (11th)
April 9 – Cheltenham Town (a) (12th)
April 12 – Rotherham United (h) (1st)
April 15 – Lincoln City (h) (18th)
April 18 – Morecambe (a) (22nd)
April 23 – Gillingham (h) (20th)
April 26 – Wigan Athletic (h) (2nd)
April 30 – Sheffield Wednesday (a) (7th)
Matches: 8
Average league position of opponent: 11.6
Bolton Wanderers 11th
April 2 - Wigan Athletic (a) (2nd)
April 5 - Portsmouth (h) (10th)
April 9 - Sheffield Wednesday (h) (7th)
April 15 - Doncaster Rovers (a) (23rd)
April 18 - Accrington Stanley (h) (13th)
April 23 - Cheltenham Town (a) (12th)
April 30 - Fleetwood Town (h) (19th)
Matches: 7
Average league position of opponent: 12.3
