Four points over Easter is the aim for Doncaster Rovers to seal Championship safety.
Rovers are currently on 49 points - seven clear of the bottom three - and that total has been enough to stay up in six of the last ten seasons.
But no team has gone down in the last decade after reaching 53 points and Rovers will be hoping to achieve that target with a trip to Ipswich on Saturday and a home game against Preston on Easter Monday.
Manager Sean O'Driscoll said some time ago he would not like to be going into the last three games still needing points to be safe and assistant boss Richard O'Kelly told the Free Press today: "You can never be certain at this stage but I think four more points will more or less guarantee it for us - and it would be nice to get them in the next two games.
"Easter is always an important time of the season.
"It doesn't always decide promotion or relegation issues but it can have a big influence on both."
He added: "Although it comes towards the end of a long and hard season I've always found Easter an enjoyable time.
"You've got two games in quick succession and it's great if you do well in the first because it always sets you up for the second.
"And if you end up losing the first match you don't have to wait long before putting it right.
"When the final whistle has gone then we will start to think about Preston."
Rovers will be aiming to replicate the bank holiday build up they employed at Christmas and hope it brings the same success.
O'Kelly said: "We went to Nottingham Forest on Boxing Day, had the next day off and then had the players in for a loosener the following morning before playing at home to Burnley in the afternoon."
Rovers won 4-2 at Forest before beating Burnley 2-1 and sparked off a phenomenal run that saw them take 28 points from 11 games.
Although both teams are above them in the table Ipswich do not have a great home record having only won one in the last nine at Portman Road since November while promotion chasing Preston have been suffering from travel sickness and are without a victory in their last seven away game
Club chairman John Ryan reckons one more win will see Rovers safe.
He said: "We could have enough points now but I'd like one more win to be sure
For FULL story see link
http://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/free-press-sport/Easter-aim-for-Rovers.5155665.jp
But no team has gone down in the last decade after reaching 53 points and Rovers will be hoping to achieve that target with a trip to Ipswich on Saturday and a home game against Preston on Easter Monday.
Manager Sean O'Driscoll said some time ago he would not like to be going into the last three games still needing points to be safe and assistant boss Richard O'Kelly told the Free Press today: "You can never be certain at this stage but I think four more points will more or less guarantee it for us - and it would be nice to get them in the next two games.
"Easter is always an important time of the season.
"It doesn't always decide promotion or relegation issues but it can have a big influence on both."
He added: "Although it comes towards the end of a long and hard season I've always found Easter an enjoyable time.
"You've got two games in quick succession and it's great if you do well in the first because it always sets you up for the second.
"And if you end up losing the first match you don't have to wait long before putting it right.
"When the final whistle has gone then we will start to think about Preston."
Rovers will be aiming to replicate the bank holiday build up they employed at Christmas and hope it brings the same success.
O'Kelly said: "We went to Nottingham Forest on Boxing Day, had the next day off and then had the players in for a loosener the following morning before playing at home to Burnley in the afternoon."
Rovers won 4-2 at Forest before beating Burnley 2-1 and sparked off a phenomenal run that saw them take 28 points from 11 games.
Although both teams are above them in the table Ipswich do not have a great home record having only won one in the last nine at Portman Road since November while promotion chasing Preston have been suffering from travel sickness and are without a victory in their last seven away game
Club chairman John Ryan reckons one more win will see Rovers safe.
He said: "We could have enough points now but I'd like one more win to be sure
For FULL story see link
http://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/free-press-sport/Easter-aim-for-Rovers.5155665.jp