Colchester United have a proud recent history of plotting dramatic escapes from relegation, but this year looks like being a little beyond them.
Former managers Joe Dunne, and then Tony Humes, guided the U’s away from the bottom four, in the nick of time, in 2012-13, 2013-14 and again last season.
But, by comparison with those three previous years, the U’s are in a completely different place this time around, with just six fixtures remaining.
Firstly, they have accrued nine or even 10 less points than the three previous seasons.
And, after Tuesday night’s set of results, the U’s find themselves a distant 10 points adrift of safety, and effectively 11 points due to a dreadful goal difference.
Relegation rivals Oldham Athletic won 2-0 at home to Swindon, while Fleetwood Town also recorded a 2-0 home success, against visiting Peterborough United, to leave the U’s in an even worse position.
Below is a comparison with the last three seasons, at this same stage of the campaign with 40 games played, and six still to play.
It’s certainly not looking good for the U’s:
2012-13
Position after 40 games: 19th
Points accrued: 43pts
Safety mark: 3pts clear of bottom four
Final six games: 2 wins (over Leyton Orient & Carlisle); 2 draws (against Oldham & Shrewsbury); 2 defeats (against Notts County and MK Dons)
Points gained in final six games: 8pts
Final position: 17th, 51pts.
2013-14
Position after 40 games: 18th
Points accrued: 43pts
Safety mark: 3pts clear of bottom four
Final six games: 3 wins (over Stevenage, Brentford & Walsall), 1 draw (at Crewe), 2 defeats (against Tranmere & Oldham).
Points gained in final six games: 10pts
Final position: 16th with 53pts.
2014-15
Position after 40 games: 23rd
Points accrued: 44pts
Safety mark: 2pts adrift of fifth-from-bottom
Final six games: 2 wins (over Fleetwood & Preston), 2 draws (againt Scunthorpe & Swindon), 2 defeats (at Coventry & Chesterfield)
Points gained in final six games: 8pts
Final position: 19th with 52pts.
2015-16
Position after 40 games: 23rd
Points accrued: 35pts
Safety mark: 10pts adrift of fifth-bottom
Final six games (to play): Blackpool (a), Peterborough (h), Crewe (a), Burton (h), Barnsley (a), Rochdale (h)
Points likely to be needed from final six games: 16 or 18
Final position: still to be determined
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