Accrington Stanley
v
Cambridge United
2016/17 Prediction League; Game 31 v Cambridge (home)
On 21st February this game didn’t happen, to the Great Annoyance and Disturbed Equilibrium of our
West Country Friend (I use the term loosely) .... then we were 19th, with 33 points from 30 games .........we’d beaten Notts County 2-0 and Colchester 2-1, and drawn 4-4 at Mansfield, and The Run was on ...............now we’re 15th, but with 49 points from 38 games, and we’re the form team in the League, calculated by the number of games without defeat (10, and we’re the only side not to have lost in 10); in fact, if you count back, of our last 16 in the League we’ve won 7, drawn 7 and lost 2, and of our last 10 we’ve won 5 and drawn 5, which is form, over a season, which would get you 92 points, and probably the League title
Cambridge, like us, have had their (non) moments over the season; they started with 3 draws and 5 defeats in their first 8 games, but then started to turn it round, winning 10 of their next 14, and currently they’re 12th, five points plus 11 goals outside the playoffs, with 54 points from 38 games (so 51 points from their last 30 games if you deduct their start to the season)
Seven games left for everybody (not counting this game), and it isn’t happening for a few sides; Orient, obviously – seven defeats in their last eight, and seven points from safety with a substantially worse GD than Cheltenham in 22nd (-29 against -16); Newport, despite
Mike Flynn’s efforts – 6 points in his first two games was followed by one in the next three, and they’re six points adrift; Morecambe have just lost their sixth game in a row; Carlisle have one point from their last seven, haven’t scored in any of them, have conceded 14, and are now out of the playoff places in 8th, having been 3rd seven games back, on 58 points from 32 played, five points ahead of Luton in 4th and 12 points above Stevenage, then in 8th ..............Stevenage look good value for 4th place – W7 D2 L1 of 10 – but they’re six points off Pompey (did you see that
Kal Naismith is their leading scorer? And that
Matt Crookes got the winner for The Iron when they did Bratfud 3-2?)
Top 3 look solid; then it looks like four from seven – Blackpool have snuck into the playoffs, Luton holding on by their finger nails, Colchester winning enough still to be thereabouts ...............to be real, too much for us to do, but we’re safe, you’d think, even if not mathematically – we’re 16 and 17 points above The Doomed (“Aye
Cap’n Mainwaring, we’re doomed .........we’re all doomed ........”) with only 21 available to play for after Tuesday, so a win against Cambridge would box it off nicely .............and anyway, we owe them for earlier in the season ..............
Their leading scorers are MFs
Luke Berry, now with 17,
Piero Mingoia and
Medy Elito with 7 each, and defender
Leon Legge with 6 .....
Billy Whizz leads with 13 for us, and
Shay and
Goldenboots are both on fire, particularly from free kicks in and around ........... and long may it remain so!
Those who wish to change their February predictions, please feel free to do so, but if you want to stick, you’re not compelled to twist ......... if you follow my meaning!
Good luck to everyone! ............ Keep the Faith! ............ And thanks for playing!