As National League teams prepare for a crucial part of the season, the battle for promotion back into League Two is intensifying. At the start of the New Year, Notts County had started to pull away from a chasing pack that included Barnet, Wrexham, Chesterfield, Woking, Wealdstone and Southend United.
While we prepare to say goodbye to the teams at the very top, it’s also worth looking at who might replace them. Which sides are in most danger of dropping out of League Two at the end of the 2022/23 campaign?
Facing the Biggest Threat
The start of 2023 saw Gillingham FC rooted at the bottom of the fourth tier of English football. The Kent-based team were five points from safety after 23 games of the current season.
At least the Gills don’t have to worry about the FA Cup. A brave run ended in the third round following a 1-0 defeat to Premier League side Leicester City, and that may prove to be a blessing.
Just above Gillingham were Rochdale who occupy the second automatic relegation place. They are two points clear of the bottom, but have played a game more. Hartlepool are hovering above the drop zone on 19 points while Crawley Town and Colchester United are also in danger.
It’s tight at the bottom, but who is most likely to be joining the Non-League scene at the start of next season?
The Neutral Verdict
The betting markets don’t quite reflect teams’ positions in the League Two relegation market. Gillingham may be at the bottom, but they are merely the second favourites to go down, while Hartlepool carry the shortest odds.
Rochdale are just behind the Gills while the market goes on to suggest that Crawley Town and Colchester United are not out of danger just yet. The figures here are supplied by the best football betting sites linking into SBO.net.
On the back of each match weekend, there will be updates from around the industry and the changes will be shown on the website. Readers can also access news stories, blog posts and betting guides which could help them make an informed decision.
Those who want to test themselves in the markets are able to do so. Any bookmaker referenced by SBO will be willing to take on eligible new account holders. A secure sign up form will be required and, once everything has been verified, it’s likely that a welcome promotion will be released.
Different deposit providers will help with financial transactions, while efficient customer services will be among a range of other benefits which should include ongoing bonuses, mobile app betting and live markets.
It’s a one stop shop for football league and non-league betting, but have the markets made the right relegation calls?
Key Fixtures
Fixtures between the teams hovering around that relegation zone will ultimately determine who drops out of League Two. In mid-January, Gillingham host Hartlepool United in what could be the most important game of all.
Hartlepool may be favourites to go down, but a win in that match could steer Keith Curle’s side to safety while condemning the Gills to the drop.
On the same day, Rochdale will be at home to Colchester United. With Rochdale second from bottom at the start of the year and Colchester just outside of the drop zone, that’s another vital encounter.
Just a week later, Rochdale will travel to Hartlepool in what is another ‘six pointer’. January is clearly a crucial month for both teams and, while it’s still relatively early in the season, Hartlepool and Rochdale’s fate may well be sealed before February takes over.
While aiming to claim three points against the teams around them, the relegation threatened sides can’t just switch off when they take on the top clubs. It’s a time when the bottom two can start to come adrift, and it will become harder to claim the points they need to survive.
For now, Gillingham. Rochdale and Hartlepool United are firmly in the frame and they are in the most danger. The fixture list shows that all three teams will be playing each other before the end of the season, and those games will have the greatest bearing on this season’s League Two relegation battle.
