League One Preview: Millwall look to get play-off push back on track at Oldham

A severely limited fixture list is taking place in League One because of the FA Cup, with only four matches taking place.

With none of the top teams in action, the highlight sees struggling Oldham host a Millwall side that has fallen away from the play-offs.

After a 1-1 draw against fellow relegation fodder Colchester last Saturday, Athletic are winless in six and are desperate for three points as they are now five points from safety. They still have the worst home record in the league too, taking just seven points from 12 games, and the Latics need to bridge the gap before they fall too far away.

Millwall are in a rather more comfortable position. In 10th on 34 points, they are 13 points ahead of their opponents this weekend, but have lost in four of their last five matches. Now six points behind Peterborough in the final play-off place, the Lions will be looking to turn their fortunes around.

Neil Harris will be hoping he can turn Millwall’s fortunes around this weekend.

Another team in the drop zone are Blackpool, in 21st on 25 points. The Tangerines have lost their last two, which ended a run of three successive wins.

Neil McDonald’s men have been boosted by the extension of Hayden White’s loan after he made 11 appearances since joining in October.

The visiting team to Bloomfield Road on Saturday are Port Vale, who ended a four-match winless run with a 1-0 victory against Bury last Saturday. With just eight points taken on the road, the Valiants need a win to keep themselves from dropping towards the bottom-four.

Southend are just one place and three points off the top-six, but their last two games have ended in defeats which manager Phil Brown described as a team playing like “individuals”. United have only lost twice on the road this season, taking 17 points in total on their travels.

The Shrimpers travel to Swindon who are three points and five places above the drop. With Luke Williams as caretaker boss, Town are without a win since before Christmas and they have only taken 14 points at home this term.

Unbeaten in three, Rochdale are in ninth on 34 points after an unlikely victory against third-placed Walsall which was Sean O’Driscoll’s first defeat as Saddlers boss last weekend.

Just six points off the top-six, the Dale have taken 20 points at home this season and have a great opportunity to add to the tally this Saturday.

The visitors to Spotland this weekend are Chesterfield, who had an equally impressive victory last weekend as they brushed aside fellow strugglers Shrewsbury 7-1.

The win moved the Spireites two points above the drop, leapfrogging their defeated opponents in the process. Danny Wilson’s men have now taken four points in their last two games after not taking any in the seven before that.

League One Fixtures (Saturday, 3pm)

Blackpool vs Port Vale
Oldham Athletic vs Millwall
Rochdale vs Chesterfield United
Swindon Town vs Southend United