Image source, Rex Features

Walsall will be heading to Gillingham with a weakened squad, short of three first-team regulars called up for international duty.

But despite being light of goalkeeper Tommy Simkin, right-back Liam Gordon and defender David Okagbue, boss Mat Sadler was determined to keep the tie against the Gills where it belongs on the calendar.

"We had the ability to request a postponement but that would have had real ramifications further down [the line] for fixture congestion so we didn't want to do that," said Sadler.

"We know it is going to be a tough game whatever. They have an incredibly experienced manager in John and we saw what a tough game it was a few weeks ago [against them] and we expect nothing different on Saturday."

The reverse fixture saw a 1-1 draw between the Saddlers and their latest hosts but Gillingham have managed to topple a titan in Bradford City since then, while Walsall have not picked up a win in five league games.

This visit down south could prove a tricky one for Sadler's men and though their spot at the top is all but secure this time around, it might not be next time out.

Image source, Rex Features

It'll be a big turn out for Bradford City this weekend.

Tickets for this afternoon's clash with a surging Colchester United have been reduced to just £5 in a bid to break their 22,576 strong attendance record.

But will the Bantams relish the opportunity as boss Graham Alexander is hoping?

Colchester are on a 13-match unbeaten streak, finding themselves victorious in their past five.

This is no easy task even for the team competing to unseat Walsall for the top spot.

Image source, Opta

No question of the game of the day at the foot of the table, as third-bottom Crawley, with Scott Lindsey back at the helm, entertain Bristol Rovers, a place above the drop zone.

A win for the visitors would take them 15 points clear of the Reds, with just eight games remaining, but a home win would keep the Gas on the horizon for the bottom four.

Northampton will try to put distance between themselves and the basement battle as they welcome Blackpool, while Peterborough, the third team sat on 42 points, have promotion-chasing Charlton at home.

Second-bottom Cambridge United will seek to reduce their gap to safety to 10 points as they head to play Barnsley.

Image source, Opta

With the top two not being in action, the promotion and play-off races will take centre stage this afternoon.

Wrexham can return to the automatic promotion spots if they avoid defeat at home to fifth-placed Stockport, who could move within three points of the top-two themselves with a win at Stok Cae Ras.

Charlton, in fourth, could close the gap with victory at Peterborough while Barnsley’s faint hopes of returning to the play-off spots could be boosted if they can overcome second-bottom Cambridge United.

Image source, Rex Features

Crawley are 12 points adrift of safety with 27 points left to play for, but they will have a new-ish face leading the side against fellow strugglers Bristol Rovers today.

Rob Elliott was sacked this week after a tenure which yielded just six wins in 33 matches, with Scott Lindsey reappointed just six months after he went to MK Dons.

Lindsey guided the Red Devils to promotion to League One via the play-offs last May...can he write himself into Crawley folklore again by keeping them up?

Northampton are on a four-match unbeaten run - albeit with just one win - but victory over Blackpool should give them a leg-up to survival.

But the Cobblers have only won, let alone scored, in one of their last six meetings with Blackpool - who have only lost one of their last seven away matches.

Cambridge are 13 points away from safety, and that could jump to 16 if results go against them and they lose for a fifth straight match. They go to Barnsley hoping not to make it 23 away league games without a win.

Lincoln and Exeter are comfortably in midtable and unlikely to push for the play-offs. However, the Grecians are unbeaten across their last five league games, keeping three clean sheets in the process. They had only managed to keep three clean sheets across their previous 22 league matches prior to this run.

Image source, Rex Features

If Wrexham thought they’d cracked the promotion race with last Saturday’s win over Wycombe, Stockport head to Wales trying to remind them otherwise this afternoon.

Phil Parkinson’s men remain outside the automatic promotion places on goal difference after the Chairboys' dramatic win at Rotherham on Tuesday and a victory for fifth-placed County this afternoon would leave Dave Challinor’s men only three points back with eight games to play.

While Wrexham have taken only five points from their past five games at the Stok Cae Ras, the Hatters have only lost one of their past dozen league games, at Cambridge in February, and have amassed 27 points from that run.

They have also won seven of their past eight league games against the Red Dragons, though that sole defeat did come at the Racecourse last season when they went down 2-1 in League Two thanks to Andy Cannon’s last-gasp goal.

Louie Barry scored the only goal as Stockport won the reverse encounter at Edgeley Park in November and completing the double would cement his now former side firmly in the promotion reckoning.

Image source, Rex Features

Charlton’s promotion-push sees them head to London Road to face resurgent Peterborough in one of the games of the day in the EFL.

Nathan Jones’ side have won 10 of their past 13 games, earning 32 points and keeping seven clean sheets to climb to fourth, within five points of the automatic promotion places.

Darren Ferguson’s side have put some daylight between themselves and the drop zone with a six-game unbeaten run, their best in more than a year, during which they have claimed 12 points to move six clear of the drop-zone, with a game in hand.

Posh are also unbeaten in seven games at home to the Addicks, taking 15 points since a 5-1 defeat in November 2010.

United edged the Cambridgeshire derby last weekend but did go down to an 89th-minute winner at The Valley in February and another Addicks win here would give Wycombe and Wrexham real cause for concern heading into the final weeks of the season.

If you enjoyed your starter, just wait for today's main course...

League One

Barnsley v Cambridge United

Crawley v Bristol Rovers

Lincoln v Exeter

Northampton v Blackpool

Peterborough v Charlton

Wrexham v Stockport

League Two

AFC Wimbledon v Barrow

Bradford v Colchester

Carlisle v Bromley

Cheltenham v MK Dons

Chesterfield v Harrogate

Fleetwood v Tranmere

Gillingham v Walsall

Grimsby v Newport

Port Vale v Morecambe

Swindon v Accrington

Mark Stallard
Former Notts County striker on BBC Radio Nottingham

Notts were much improved in the second half but we go back to those two contentious penalty decisions. On another day they might be given. They've not had the rub of it today.

Crewe are just on the outskirts of the play-offs and we caused them problems in the second half.

Both sides looked like they were missing players.

Stuart Maynard will be frustrated but it's a point and we're still in the mix ahead of the 15:00 GMT kick-offs.

Not the result we wanted but it keeps it bubbling along. Eight cup finals remaining now.

Image source, Rex Features

A stalemate then but one that could have been very different?

Two huge penalty shouts on either side of half-time will dictate the chatter around this game, with Notts County feeling that this is a game they should have taken victory in.

First when Crewe keeper Filip Marschall sticks out his leg and trips up Charlie Whitaker and then again after Will Jarvis is felled by the elbow of Ryan Cooney.

Have Crewe been lucky today?

Or is the point a just reward for some solid defending in a second half dominated by the home side?

The crowd request a penalty for handball but as they do, Will Jarvis is on the ball and wants to thread it through to a teammate.

He manages to do so but Crewe are able to close it down.

Mark Stallard
Former Notts County striker on BBC Radio Nottingham

David McGoldrick didn't really get hold of it. It's a cross shot and unfortunately nobody is able to get on the end of it.

Notts are pressing, they're knocking on the door.

There's five more minutes in this one.

The lively David McGoldrick slices a low shot towards the back post.

It sails past the keeper and is so very, very close to going in but just drifts wide.

There's time left in this one but as the rain begins to pour down, are celebrations just not on the cards?

Peter Morse
Crewe summariser on BBC Radio Stoke

It'll be interesting to see who has headed the ball more out of Mickey Demetriou and Matty Platt because both have been magnets when it's come to defending their boxes.

The key thing now is to get a draw and not get beaten. Of course if you get an opportunity you'd take it but you've got to be sensible.

Neither side have found the quality but there is still time.

The roar of the crowd is getting louder.

As Mark has just said, Notts have felt the stronger team in this second half but they haven't been able to ripple the net.

Time is running out for them to do so as they yet again appeal for another penalty after a scuffle in the box.

Their pleas fall on deaf ears but they do get themselves a corner, which goes... nowhere.

Mark Stallard
Former Notts County striker on BBC Radio Nottingham

Notts have been the better team in this second half and if there is a team that deserves the win it'll be them.

Crewe captain Mickey Demetriou is tricked into a foul by a fellow veteran in a charging David McGoldrick.

Demetriou accepts his caution without complaint.

George Abbott sticks his leg out and catches a Crewe player.

His name is the latest to go into the book.

More changes.

This time from the visitors as Joel Tabiner jogs off and Jack Powell roams onto the field.

Mark Stallard
Former Notts County striker on BBC Radio Nottingham

The interplay has been far more intent, there's been a hunger about Notts but it's not got them anything yet.

Can Curtis Edwards find his goal duck? What a time to get it.