If at the start of the season we were offered 87 points with two games to play we would taken it with both hands, and although we sit third in the table (one position short of our ideal place) we are all only one point our cross-city neighbours United after Saturday’s last minute drama.
With one win and two defeats from our first three games it looked like the ship had steadied a bit with two wins on the bounce against Notts County and Scunthorpe both on home soil followed by a point against Charlton and a win against table toppers MK Dons. But three days later a shock 5-1 defeat to League One newcomers Stevenage was installed and everyone knew something had to change.
Luckily, it did, because after that we went on a magnificent run with only one loss and three draws in our next thirteen games including a dramatic comeback against ‘The Blades’ and explosive eight-goal thriller with Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield which evidently put us right back in the promotion picture.
The only time we have really dipped in form since then was after the first home defeat of the season to Charlton when we went on a depleted run of two wins, two draws and three losses. This was all before an outstanding 1-0 win in the Steel City derby in front of a highly impressive 36,000 crowd which put us back on track.
What happened next nobody imagined because three days after that famous win, manager Gary Megson was sacked by chairman Milan Mandaric leaving many fans angry at the timing of the decision. However Mandaric acted swiftly to bring an ideal replacement with former Stockport, Southampton, Wolves and Cardiff chief Dave Jones parachuted in the hot seat just two days later.
With Jones taking the reins properly the Monday after little expected what would then happen as we remain unbeaten under him with eight wins and two draws (all but Mr. Mandaric) starting with a 4-1 win over Bury playing a mix of free-flowing passing football and if need be turning to the long ball.
We knew that after the disappointing 1-1 draw away at Colchester as United defeated Leyton Orient we looked all but consigned to the playoffs with a four point gap opened up between us with only three games left to play.
However the tide turned back in our favour last weekend after they lost away to MK Dons and thanks to an amazing 95th minute winner by Michail Antonio over Carlisle that left Hillsborough in raptures. It now means with two games to go we have the momentum and a huge chance to capitalise on their failure by snatching second place on the final day at home to Wycombe. I believe that even if we don’t manage to catch them we still have enough quality to have win at Wembley once again to guarantee Championship football next season.
You can follow me on Twitter @ZakOldfield
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