League Two Preview: Northampton host Newport and Oxford welcome Stevenage

League Two leaders Northampton Town will be hoping to move one step closer to sealing automatic promotion when they host Newport County at Sixfields on Good Friday.

The Cobblers are currently 17 points above Plymouth Argyle in fourth with nine matches left to play, and it is only a matter of time before they clinch their spot in League One.

Second-placed Oxford United will look to cement their place in the top three when they welcome lowly Stevenage at the Kassam Stadium.

The U’s have won their last two matches with an aggregate score of 7-0, and will surely fancy their chances against a side that have lost their last five games, leaving them just one place above the relegation zone.

Michael Appleton’s Oxford United host a lowly Stevenage on Good Friday. Photo: Marc Atkins/Offside.

Bristol Rovers forced their way into the top three last weekend with their fifth successive victory at Newport, and the Pirates host a Cambridge side that have still have play-off ambitions themselves – the U’s lie just five points adrift of the top seven.

Plymouth were the team to drop out of the automatic promotion places on goal difference as they were beaten 1-0 at home by Luton last weekend, and Argyle will hope to pick up their first win in five outings when they make the trip to a Morecambe side that look to have little to play for.

Accrington are just one points behind Rovers and Argyle themselves, and they will look to keep the pressure up on the teams above them when they welcome Leyton Orient to the Crown Ground. Kevin Nolan’s men are currently seventh, and just five points behind their opponents on Friday.

Portsmouth were the pre-season promotion favourites but they lie fifth on 60 points, and will look to close the gap to the top three when they host lowly Notts County at Fratton Park.

19th-placed County this week named Mark Cooper as their new boss after Jamie Fullarton was sacked following the heavy home defeat to Exeter last weekend – their third loss in a row.

Meanwhile, Gareth Ainsworth’s Wycombe will look to keep their play-off hopes alive when they host Mansfield, while AFC Wimbledon will be hoping to do the same when they make the long trip north to 21st-placed Hartlepool United, who are nine points above the bottom two.

Second-from-bottom York City will be looking to keep their survival hopes alive when they host Crawley Town at Bootham Crescent. City are seven points from safety and have lost six of their last seven matches.

Elsewhere, Exeter City host Barnet in a mid-table clash, while 20th-placed Yeovil Town welcome play-off outsiders Carlisle United to Huish Park.

League Two Fixtures:

Good Friday (3pm)

Accrington Stanley vs Leyton Orient
Bristol Rovers vs Cambridge United
Exeter City vs Barnet
Hartlepool United vs AFC Wimbledon
Morecambe vs Plymouth Argyle
Northampton Town vs Newport County
Oxford United vs Stevenage
Portsmouth vs Notts County
Wycombe Wanderers vs Mansfield Town
Yeovil Town vs Carlisle United
York City vs Crawley Town