League Two: Who will rise in the promotion race over Easter?

Easter is always a pivotal time in a season and Carlisle United’s realistic automatic promotion hopes could hinge on a successful weekend.

Here we assess who all the Blues’ rivals also face, and how things could unfold.

LEYTON ORIENT (1st)

The runaway leaders can take more big steps towards promotion over Easter, when they go to Salford City and then host Harrogate Town.

Friday’s trip to the Peninsula Stadium will be far from easy for Richie Wellens’s side. His former club have lost just one of their last seven games, and have taken four useful points on the road against high-flying rivals Stevenage and Stockport County.

The Os, though, are unbeaten in ten, and should they come through that one unscathed, the visit of lowly Harrogate looks a tempting fixture to move ever closer to what looks an inevitable place in League One.

NORTHAMPTON TOWN (2nd)

The Cobblers have defied their injury woes to move to the front of the pack behind Orient, and they have opportunities against two sides from the bottom half to strengthen their challenge further.

Jon Brady’s second-placed side are at Newport County on Good Friday, before a home clash with Gillingham on Easter Monday.

Neither will be pushovers, Newport unbeaten in five (including four draws) and Gillingham’s recent revival no secret to Carlisle. Yet the Cobblers, with five wins and three draws from their last eight, are hitting form at the perfect time.

STEVENAGE (3rd)

Steve Evans’ men, two points above the play-off places, face a pair of strugglers in their Easter fixtures.

First, they entertain a Colchester United side not out of the woods at the wrong end of League Two. Then they go to a Hartlepool United team also desperate to climb out of the mire.

Though Evans’ side are not in consistent winning form just now, they’ll be eyeing a good Easter points haul to reinforce their challenge and keep the likes of Carlisle at bay.

CARLISLE UNITED (4th)

United’s current form puts extra points pressure on their Easter double-header. After four games without a win or goal, it’s Tranmere Rovers at home on Friday, and Walsall away on Monday.

The Blues will be roared on by a 10,000+ crowd in the first of those games, their #10for10 ticket offer setting up the occasion against a managerless visiting side plodding along in mid-table.

The Walsall trip, meanwhile, may have some lingering spice from November’s FA Cup meeting – and United must take advantage of the Saddlers’ own barren form which has seen one league win in 16. It’s vital Carlisle hit form again to close that two-point gap to the top three.

STOCKPORT COUNTY (5th)

League Two’s fifth-placed team have a testing trip to Sutton United on Friday before a home clash with Newport County on Monday.

The Hatters are firmly in the race having lost just one of their last 13 games.

If Dave Challinor’s side can start Easter with a positive result at Gander Green Lane, their confidence will be brimming for a serious challenge over the remainder of the run-in.

Can Stockport County's ex-Carlisle man Paddy Madden keep them in the race? (Image: PA)

BRADFORD CITY (6th)

The Bantams have made ominous progress into the automatic race and, with a game in hand on many rivals, must be regarded as serious top-three contenders now.

Two points behind Carlisle and four adrift of the automatics, Mark Hughes’ men go to struggling Crawley Town on Friday, then entertain play-off hopefuls Sutton United on Monday.

It’s a chance for Bradford to really state their authority. Crawley, of late, haven’t been the pushovers of February, while Sutton have lost just one in 12. If Andy Cook can do further damage against both, the Bantams bandwagon will gather further pace.

SALFORD CITY (7TH)

A pair of London opponents for the Ammies – both at different ends of the form scale. First it’s a shot at leaders Leyton Orient on home soil, and the chance for Neil Wood’s side to make a particularly big statement.

After that, it’s a trip on Monday to an AFC Wimbledon side languishing in 16th after just two wins in 17, and seven defeats in their last nine.

Different tests of Salford’s credentials, after some good recent results that have kept their hopes bubbling.

MANSFIELD TOWN (8th)

A game in hand keeps Nigel Clough’s inconsistent Stags interested, and much more will be known about their stamina in the race after Easter.

First, they have a tricky trip to Swindon Town on Good Friday.

Should they prevail there, Clough’s side will fancy making more strides when they host bottom side Rochdale on Monday.

Mansfield are currently seven points outside the top three and will need to eat into that over Easter.

BARROW (9th)

Back-to-back wins have kept the Bluebirds’ play-off hopes alive, and they’ll be hoping momentum helps them further in a double-header this weekend which looks, on paper at least, an opportunity.

Pete Wild’s side, who are five points outside the top seven, start Easter with a trip to Crewe Alexandra, who are going nowhere in 17th.

Then it’s a home clash with third-bottom Crawley Town on Monday. If Barrow are to stage a dramatic late surge, they’ll need to make the most of games like these.

Robbie Gotts' winner against Gillingham kept Barrow's play-off hopes alive (Image: Ian Allington / MI News)

SUTTON UNITED (10th)

Probably the lowest of the realistic play-off contenders, Sutton’s chances could hinge on how they fare against a couple of higher-fliers over Easter.

Stockport County at home and Bradford City away represents a highly testing four-day spell, though Matt Gray’s side have punched above their weight again this season.

A positive weekend can keep themselves in the hunt, and will be appreciated by a number of other sides at the top end of the table too.