Beevers said: “We know this promotion race will probably go down to the final day.
“I hope not obviously, but there is every chance that it will do.
“We just have to focus on ourselves and look after our own games. There will be plenty more twists and turns to come I am sure.”
It’s looking like a three-horse race for two automatic promotion places between current 1,2,3 Hull, Posh and Sunderland, but in-form Portsmouth and Blackpool are ready to pounce on any slip-ups.
Hull are two three points clear of Posh with a superior goal difference of 7. Posh have a game in hand. Sunderland are two points behind Posh with a superior goal difference of 1. They have one game in hand on Posh and two games in hand on Hull.
Portsmouth are fourth, seven points behind Sunderland from the same number of matches played. Blackpool are fifth, a further point back, with an extra game in hand.
The PT has analysed the strengths and weaknesses of the top three, while also looking at the matches and players that could make the difference between Championship football and the League One play-offs.
1.
If automatic promotion does all rest on the final day games, Posh will want to be in front of either Sunderland or leaders Hull when the last matches kick off at 3pm on Saturday, May 8. Posh are at fast-fading Doncaster that day, but Sunderland have what could be a ‘gimme’ at home to lowly Northampton Town. Hull are at Charlton Athletic who, if current form persists, will have more of an interest in a play-off place than Doncaster. Sunderland are pictured playing at Northampton earlier this season.
2.
So who would you like to have managing your team during a pressure-packed promotion run-in? There’s Posh boss Darren Ferguson with four promotions on his managerial CV and three of them while serving at London Road. Or there are Sunderland manager Lee Johnson and Hull City boss Grant McCann who have yet to win a promotion between them. Advantage Posh one would think. “I have to stay calm and use my experience in these situations,” Ferguson said. “Every season at Posh I’ve usually been fighting for promotion or battling against relegation from the Championship. It was similar when I was at Doncaster. The only time I was mid-table with Posh I got sacked!” McCann steered Doncaster into the League One play-offs before departing for Hull. Johnson made his name improving Oldham, Barnsley and Bristol City. Ferguson (centre) and McCann (left) are pictured at the KCOM Stadium earlier this season.
3.
Sunderland are about to embark on a potentially pivotal run of fixtures. After a tricky home game with Charlton this Saturday, they face a run of three away games in eight days at relegation-threatened Wigan (Tuesday, their game in hand on Posh), in-form promotion contenders Blackpool (April 17) as well as Hull (April 20). The Tigers have mid-table opponents Plymouth (away) and Fleetwood (home) to play before hosting Sunderland. Sunderland manager Lee Johnson is pictured.
4.
In terms of pure forward firepower Posh and Hull have a clear edge over Sunderland. Posh’s attack of Jonson Clarke-Harris, Sammie Szmodics and Siriki Dembele have 46 League One goals between them. Hull’s top scorers Mallik Wilks, Josh Magennis and Lewis Keane-Potter have 40 goals, but after the 22 goals of Charlie Wyke, Sunderland’s next highest scorer is penalty-taker Grant Leadbitter (6). Clarke-Harris is pictured celebrating his 26th League One goal of the season at Fleetwood on Good Friday.