Peterborough United's upcoming fixtures suggest a 'March' back up the table is a possibility

Posh are due to play the teams in 24th, 21st, 23rd, 14th and 16th in the next month, three of them at home, so a great chance to start moving up the League One table again after picking up eight points in February, a month when four of the six matches were played away from home.

Or is it? Here is what I think. Let me know what you think at @PTAlanSwann on X…

The historical records are Football League games played by Posh against the same opponents at the same venue, apart from the trip to AFC Wimbledon. That record includes games at two venues.

NB: Vale have a delayed fourth round FA Cup tie at home to Bristol City on Tuesday and if they cause a shock they will be at home to Sunderland in the fifth round on Sunday meaning their scheduled trip to Posh will be postponed.

Upcoming fixtures

March 7

v Port Vale (home).

Historical record: P27 W11 D11 L5

Vale have shown signs of life under former Cobblers boss Jon Brady with two draws, and a win at his old club, in their last three League One games.

Sky Bet still have Vale at 1/150 to be relegated which seems an accurate summary of their perilous situation, 10 points from safety albeit with games in hand on most of their closest rivals. Posh won a scrappy game 1-0 at Vale Park in December.

Brady has tried to address the lack of goals in his team – they have the worst scoring record in the division with 26 in 32 games – by signing veteran forward Andre Gray, a player who commanded multi-million pound fees when moving to Burnley and Watford. They also have long-term Posh target, winger Ethon Archer, on loan from Luton Town.

PT Verdict: Posh 2, Vale 1.

March 14

v Leyton Orient (away)

Historical record: P18 W7 D4 L7

It’s a surprise to see the Londoners in the bottom four, especially as striker Dom Ballard has contributed 16 League One goals. He might relish the chance to play against the current Posh back four.

Posh could have ace midfielder Matt Garbett back for this game which would be a considerable boost to a team who have struggled away from home since the loss of key centre-back Tom Lees.

Posh beat Orient with a last minute goal at London Road on Boxing Day and, as the scoreline suggests, there wasn’t a lot between the teams that day. I’d expect it to be close again, but maybe with a different result against a team desperate for points.

PT Verdict : Orient 2, Posh 1.

March 17

v Rotherham (home)

Historical record: P18 W8 D4 L6

Next-to-bottom Rotherham snapped a four-game losing streak on Saturday by pipping injury-hit Plymouth 1-0 at home. On Tuesday they host a Mansfield team who could well be distracted by an FA Cup tie with Arsenal at the weekend.

Rotherham have strengthened their strike force since Posh beat them 2-0 on the road on New Year’s Day. Former Sunderland striker Duncan Watmore and Leeds United loanee Harry Gray have joined forces with Sam Nombe, a striker with a decent scoring record in the lower divisions. None of them played in the reverse fixture against Posh.

I can see a shootout at London Road.

PT Prediction: Posh 3, Rotherham 2.

March 21

AFC Wimbledon (away)

Historical record: P5 W0 D2 L3

There’s no chance of repeating the scoreline from when the Dons came to London Road in October. Posh won that match 5-0 in Luke Williams’ first game as manager.

Dons were fifth in League One at the time, but after the game, a team who were relegation favourites before a ball had been kicked this season, looked set to freefall into trouble.

They’ve arrested that slide impressively and started scoring more freely with ex-Oxford forward Marcus Browne in great form. Former Posh striker Matt Stevens is back from injury and has scored in the last four Dons matches.

The Dons have beaten Reading and Bradford City in their last two home games so the danger for Posh is obvious and their record at Wimbledon is bleak.

PT Prediction: Wimbledon 2, Posh 1.

March 28

v Mansfield (home)

Historical record: P25 W18 D2 L5

Posh have an astonishingly great record in this fixture, although that didn’t save them from a 3-0 mauling by ‘The Stags’ last season.

Posh pulled off a heist in Mansfield last month when pinching a 2-1 win on the back of the brilliance of goalkeeper Alex Bass. The only Mansfield win in their last nine outings was at Premier League Burnley in the FA Cup.

Nigel Clough’s side should be free of those distractions after this weekend and they will field a better side than the one Posh beat a handful of weeks ago.

PT Prediction: Posh 2, Mansfield 2.