Peterborough United face a tough March, but then so do their Championship relegation rivals, midfielder to miss out on Huddersfield trip

Posh have three away games against top five sides with a Sunday trip to QPR (March 20) rounding off a month that also includes the imminent trips to third-placed Huddersfield (Friday, March 4) and second-placed Bournemouth (Tuesday, March 8).

In between Posh have home games against mid-table teams Stoke (March 12) and Swansea (March 16). There are no matches in the final week of March because of the last international break of the season.

Posh are currently bottom of the table with a paltry 21 points from 33 games and are eight points from safety. They must overhaul both Derby County (also 21 points) and Barnsley (23), who clash at Pride Park on Saturday, and then set their sights on Reading (29 points).

Posh have a game in hand on Reading (the Bournemouth trip!) and two in hand on Derby who lost 1-0 at Cardiff on Tuesday.

Reading’s March programme is also tough. After hosting in-form Millwall on Saturday they visit promotion-chasing Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth before entertaining fourth-placed Blackburn.

After facing Barnsley, Derby have a tough March against Bournemouth (away), Blackburn (away) and Coventry (home).

Barnsley have an easier-looking fixture list with three straight home games against Stoke, Fulham and Bristol City following their match at Derby. They finish March with a South Yorkshire derby at Sheffield United.

Posh have scored just one goal - a last minute consolation at Fulham from Jack Marriott - in their last six competitive matches.

Experienced centre-back Mark Beevers should be in the squad to tackle Huddersfield after recovering from injury and midfielder Jack Taylor could be included for the first time since January 25. He’s recovered from a hamstring injury.

On-loan Posh midfielder Reece Brown won’t be allowed to play against his parent club on Friday, while summer signing Joel Randall is still carrying a niggle.