Adam Yates
Former Vale defender on BBC Radio Stoke

Vale are on the back foot too much, they're not being proactive.

Yes, Barrow are good in possession but you've got to get about them a bit.

Vale are chasing shadows a bit at the moment.

Away we go at Brunton Park on a huge night for Carlisle in their battle to avoid relegation.

Chris Lumsdon
Former Carlisle midfielder on BBC Radio Cumbria

People still believe, they're still hoping. It's a must win again and hopefully we can get that.

It's a big, big night.

The home side finally pose a threat but Tom Sang's cross is cut out and he has to scramble back to his defensive duties.

Barrow work it well but fail to produce an effort on goal.

The warning signs are there for the home side although Niall Canavan then has to cut out a through ball from Jayden Stockley.

It's bright and open stuff we are watching.

More Barrow possession and a cross is headed away by Connor Hall but the visitors keep the ball alive.

Eventually Sam Foley has a dip at goal but it's wide...very wide...

Barrow have come to play, they are already knocking it around nicely.

Kian Spence has a sight of goal with a free-kick but it's weak and straight at Ben Amos in the home goal.

Just going on what former Port Vale defender Adam Yates said about how good it is for them have Jayden Stockley back, well he really is influential.

Vale have only lost two games this season when the striker has been involved - could he be the talisman tonight?

Adam Yates
Former Vale defender on BBC Radio Stoke

It's good to see Jayden Stockley and Ben Garrity back in the side now after some injuries.

They are both so influential.

Emile Acquah will be a handful for Vale, he's powerful and physical.

A staggered start tonight.

We are under way at Vale Park.

Carlisle and MK Dons will join the party in 15 minutes time.

Image source, Opta

Mark Hughes is sticking with the same line-up for Carlisle United from their 2-1 win at home to Bromley on Saturday.

Meanwhile, MK Dons interim boss Ben Gladwin makes just the one change from their 1-0 victory at Cheltenham at the weekend.

Aaron Nemane replaces Callum Hendry, while Callum Tripp is also among the subs after returning from international duty with Wales U21s.

Teenager Keon Lewis-Burgess is on the bench and makes the squad for a league game for the first time.

Image source, Opta

Image source, Getty Images

Six straight league wins for MK Dons between October and the beginning of December last year feels like a long time ago now.

That impressive run of results saw them fourth in League Two and only five points off the top.

But just four wins in the 20 games since then (D3 L13) has seen them slip to 18th, though two of those victories have come in their past three outings.

MK Dons are likely safe from relegation with the relative comfort of a 15-point cushion from the bottom two but it's still been a disappointing campaign from one which promised so much four months ago having also reached the play-offs last year.

Interim coach Ben Gladwin has at least steadied the ship in recent weeks and will be looking to help guide his team to a third win in five games.

Image source, Rex Features

Carlisle United have just nine games remaining to preserve their English Football League status.

The Cumbrians are seven points adrift of safety at the bottom of League Two and are at risk of back-to-back relegations which would see them drop out of the professional league system for the first time in 20 years.

Mark Hughes' side did pick up a win on Saturday - his second since taking over as boss - by edging past Bromley.

Victory tonight would be the first time Carlisle have won consecutive league games since March 2023 - a run of two years and 95 games without doing so.

If they can do so, it would move them to within four points of Tranmere Rovers in 22nd and provide a major boost to their survival bid.

Adam Yates
Former Vale defender on BBC Radio Stoke

I feel four changes is a lot to make tonight.

Nathan Smith was unlucky to come out of the side after a mistake at Colchester.

Rekeem Harper will offer some real physical presence.

Vale can't keep relying on average performances because that will not get the job done.

Image source, Opta

Darren Moore makes four changes to his Port Vale team tonight from the one which squeezed past Morecambe at the weekend.

Nathan Smith, Ben Garrity, Antwoine Hackford and Rekeem Harper are back in the starting line-up.

Ryan Croasdale, Lorent Tolaj, Mitchell Clark and Rhys Walters are all on the bench.

Barrow boss Andy Whing brings in Dean Campbell, Connor Mahoney and Emile Acquah at the expense of Tyler Smith, Ben Whitfield and Aaron Presseley who are all among the substitutes.

Image source, Opta

Image source, Getty Images

When Andy Whing flew in to takeover as Barrow boss in January he became their third manager in 13 months.

Pete Wild departed in May having missed out on the play-offs on the final day of last season.

Stephen Clemence's reign lasted only seven months despite him having Barrow in fourth place at the start of October but since then they have won only seven of their subsequent 28 games.

This is Whing's first job in EFL management but he almost brought Solihull Moors into League Two last season with his side beaten by Bromley in the National League play-off final.

The Bluebirds look safe for another season but only Newport and Tranmere (13) have taken fewer than their 14 points on the road, although don't count them out tonight.

Barrow are unbeaten in their past three away games which includes a win at Notts County - Port Vale will need to tread carefully.

Image source, Rex Features

Across the past 10 games only Bradford CIty in the top four of League Two have taken more points than Port Vale.

An eight-game winless run in late 2024, which was only ended on 4 January had threatened to derail what at one point had seemed a nailed-on promotion season for Darren Moore's side.

But with Vale on a run of just one defeat from their past 14 league matches, operation promotion is very much back on track.

Vale Park, with its big pitch, is proving a comfortable home with six wins from their past seven outings and you have to go back to 7 December for the last time an opponent left Burslem with three points. For the record that was an, at the time, rampant Walsall who went away with a 1-0 victory.

We are entering a crucial period for Port Vale's promotion hopes with games against Crewe, Bradford and the return with Walsall to come in the next 10 days.

You feel they cannot afford to slip-up tonight.

Image source, Rex Features

There is a lot at stake for two sides in particular tonight.

A single point for Port Vale against Barrow will be enough to take them back into the automatic promotion places.

At the bottom, a victory for Carlisle United over MK Dons would move them to within four points of safety.

As for Barrow and MK Dons, they may not exactly be lighting things up but they can surely be planning already for another season in League Two.

Image source, Rex Features

There are just the two fixtures for us to focus on tonight but they will impact the top and bottom of the division.

League Two

• Port Vale v Barrow (19:30 GMT)
• Carlisle United v MK Dons (19:45 GMT)

Image source, Rex Features

Some big news in League Two today... Gareth Ainsworth has left League One strugglers Shrewsbury Town to join Gillingham as their new head coach.

The Gills are 13 points clear of the relegation zone in 19th and Ainsworth will be their third boss of the season following Mark Bonner and John Coleman, who was only appointed on 5 January until the end of the season.

Ainsworth will step down a division, leaving Salop bottom of the third tier and 14 points adrift of safety after winning five of his 22 league games in charge since arriving in November.

Read the full story here.

Image source, Rex Features

It doesn't take a lot to create a bit of competition in the EFL and tonight is no different.

We may have just the two League Two matches on offer but both will have a big say on things at the top and bottom of the division.

Port Vale can put their promotion destiny in their own hands with a win over Barrow tonight while Carlisle need to play their Jimmy Glass get out of jail card if they're not to be playing National League football next season.

So, enough for us to get our teeth into then...