The games in hand that could affect Carlisle United's promotion hopes

Three of their promotion rivals all still have a game in hand on United.

And in a tight battle for automatic promotion and play-off places, those matches for Stevenage, Bradford City and Mansfield Town can influence the League Two run-in.

Here we look at when those games are – and who the respective sides face.

STEVENAGE

Tuesday, April 25: Swindon Town (a)

Steve Evans’ side have a big opportunity to nail down one of the three automatic places, having had games in hand in the bank for a long while now.

Stevenage have kept their automatic promotion hopes firmly alive with back-to-back victories, and are now four points above the chasing pack (including Carlisle) in third place.

After this weekend’s trip to Mansfield Town, they go to Swindon's County Ground in the penultimate week of the season.

Stevenage go to Swindon Town's County Ground next Tuesday (Image: Gareth Williams/AHPIX LTD)

They may not find things all their own way bearing in mind Town dented the hopes of another contender in Bradford City with a 1-0 win this Tuesday.

Jody Morris’s side, though, have lost at home to a number of other promotion-chasers recently in Mansfield, Stockport County and Carlisle.

The mid-table Wiltshire side have little more than pride to play for. The Blues and their fellow chasers will hope the Robins are rocking next Tuesday.

MANSFIELD TOWN

Tuesday, April 25: Leyton Orient (h)

With Mansfield, it will be a case of hoping table-topping Orient are still nursing hangovers after securing promotion this week.

The London club's visit to the One Call Stadium looms at a time the Stags are currently eighth, outside the play-off places only on goal difference.

By the time the Orient fixture comes around, Nigel Clough’s side – three points behind Carlisle – will hope to have eaten further into the gap separating them from higher-placed rivals.

Orient, who sealed promotion this week, take on Mansfield next Tuesday (Image: PA)

They face a tough task to do that, since they face Stevenage this weekend, but if they are still in close touch next Tuesday’s clash with the Os looks like a big one.

All the more reason for Carlisle to win at Barrow this weekend, which would probably ensure Mansfield could not overtake the Blues next Tuesday whatever the Stags do against Stevenage and Orient (other than an unlikely goal difference surge)

BRADFORD CITY

Wednesday, May 3: Crewe Alexandra (a)

The last week of the campaign may well receive a big twist with this the only midweek game before the final afternoon of 2022/23.

Bradford’s trip to the Alexandra Stadium is a rearranged encounter after the original fixture was postponed due to Crewe’s international call-ups.

As such, Bradford – a point behind Carlisle, and five outside the top three – will be targeting their trip to Cheshire as a potentially decisive game in the race for League One.

Crewe's Alexandra Stadium will host Bradford five days before the season's last round of games (Image: Richard Parkes)

Mark Hughes’ sixth-placed side, whose goal difference is five worse than Carlisle's, suffered their first defeat in 12 at Swindon on Tuesday and now face games against Gillingham at home and Northampton Town away.

Neither of those will be a doddle, given the respective sides’ form, yet if the Bantams are still in touch after Saturday, April 29’s round of games, their clash with a 16th-placed Crewe side will look highly tempting.

That said, the Railwaymen have won their last three home games. Could they do it against a high-flier with promotion on the line? United, and others, may have to hope so.