Rochdale v Southend United
This match is another huge game at the top of the table between two teams who have been in and amongst the promotion places all season. Rochdale have slipped to second following their shock 3-0 defeat to Mansfield on Saturday and are without a win in three. It is going to take a big collapse for them to fall out of the top three but for them to win the title they need to get back to the form that they showed at the end of March when they comfortably disposed of Accrington, Wycombe, Northampton and Portsmouth, and went top of the league.
Rochdale have a five point cushion between them and 4th placed Fleetwood and therefore defeat to Southend won’t be a complete disaster. However, for Southend, it could be. Southend struggled over the winter months and it looked at one point as though they would fall away from the Play-Offs. However they broke out of this with three wins recently but defeat to mid-table Wimbledon means that if they lose, their cushion over the chasing pack could be cut to a point and they could possibly fall out of the Play-Offs (if there is a big enough goal swing).
It’ll be a crucial game for both teams at Spotland on Friday and I think this will make it a tight and cagey affair.
Score prediction: 1-1
