Carlisle's form was taking a fair old dip the last few weeks of the season wasn't it? They seemed to be toiling a bit and I've just read this from their manager:
Quote:
Carlisle United boss John Ward has admitted some of his players are suffering from emotional fatigue as the season draws to a dramatic climax.
The Cumbrians' promotion fight took a turn for the worse with the 3-0 loss at Millwall on Saturday and Ward is wary of burnout within his squad.
"There's a shortage of energy you need at this stage and a few are running on empty," he told BBC Radio Cumbria. "It's not effort or fitness, but we just don't have that zip about us."
Leeds look quite interesting. 1.80 is actually the best available at the moment.
Can't go past Leeds tbh. As for Southend/Doncaster, I've kind got the feeling Southend might edge it, 1-0 or around that. Doncaster's current form is poor with only 12 points from the possible 36 to finish the season, whereas Southend have taken 18 from the same period. I think it will be edgy though and don't expect Southend to win it comfortably.
Confidence is brimming down at Roots Hall and having finished the season on a high note the Shrimpers players are determined to continue their good form and book a place at Wembley in two weeks time.
Playing some good football and earning plenty of plaudits along the way, Southend will take on Doncaster knowing that on their day they are as good as anyone in this division, and that in the end only four points separated the two sides.
Southend had to go on a fine run of form just to make the play-offs, and they seem to have peaked at just the right time and will know that an early goal could really damage the morale of a Doncaster side still reeling from the fact they let automatic promotion slip through their hands on the final day of the season.
Winning just two of their last six games and losing to Cheltenham on the final day of the season meant Rovers let in Forest to nick second spot and how much that has effected their preparations this week only time will tell, but they look well worth opposing at 13/10 with VC Bet.
Donny had only the fifth best away record of the top six finishers and certainly prefer to be on their own patch and in the uncomfortable surroundings of tiny Roots Hall on a warm summers evening, if things start badly for Sean O'Driscoll's men, they could be in for a long night.
Leeds v Carlisle
The biggest home attendance of the weekend will fall at Elland Road on Monday night and Leeds have to be backed at 4/5 to gain a crucial first leg lead to take back to Cumbria.
Gary McAllister's finished the season on a real high, winning six of their last seven games, and with 15 wins at home this season and just four defeats, it will be a big surprise if they can't win this one.
Of course the pressure will be on the Leeds players, but they have been under that sort of pressure all season having started on -15 points, and with the whole club united in trying to claim a promotion they believe is rightly theirs already, they will be chomping at the bit to get after Carlisle.
Like Doncaster, Carlisle completely lost their nerve in the closing weeks of the season to give up an automatic promotion place and how that might return to haunt them we will have to wait and see, but with a pretty poor away record to go on they have to be opposed for this one.
With no wins from their last five games and a 3-2 defeat at Leeds fresh in the memory it's no surprise to see Leeds odds-on, but they are shorter than 4/5 in places such is the confidence some of the layers have in them, and 4/5 should look a big price come 9.30pm on Monday.
I'm on Leeds as well. Can seem to remember reading that they had rested one or 2 players in anticipation of tonights game. mcallister has got them going well and with carlisles slip - home win tonight for me
League One Playoffs Semi-Final L1
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