League Two Play-Off Semi-Final Preview – Gab Sutton

Walsall have suffered both forms of heartbreak at missing out on automatic promotion: losing an enormous lead from January to go into the final day not in pole position, and then to think they’d gone up after a win at Crewe, only for Bradford to score a deflected goal in the 96th-minute that saw them miss out.

So, if the Saddlers come through all that to still celebrate promotion at Wembley, it’s almost more impressive in a way than winning the league with 100 points, because of the mental fortitude required.

Right now, with three wins in 22, it’s hard for outsiders to throw our weight behind them entirely, although they have been unlucky in April, not to have amassed more points.

It’s hard to see past Chesterfield, as the form side, with Paul Cook’s men finishing the campaign with one defeat in 13, and plenty of experience in grizzled centre-back Kyle McFadzean, ball-winner Tom Naylor, playmaker John Fleck and poacher Will Grigg.

The Spireites also boast strength in depth, with the means to freshen things up, whereas Walsall arguably suffered from few changes to the XI for two-thirds of the campaign.

The biggest strength Wimbledon can offer, going into the play-offs, is their defensive resolve: 21 for the season for Johnnie Jackson’s side, with Joe Lewis providing a courageous presence at the heart of the backline.

Whether the Dons can lean on that entirely, though, is questionable, so they’ll need to find some way of keeping teams occupied in the other direction.

Target man Omar Bugiel is arguably their most important player, because the Wombles don’t have another striker who can do the same role, but it’s meant he’s been bombarded with starts for much of the season – along with international duties with Lebanon – and it may have made him jaded at the business end.

Conversely, poacher Matty Stevens – who has scored 17 (30%) of their 56 league goals this season – has finished the campaign without a goal since March.

Whereas, Notts County still have a strong defence, thanks to the additions of defenders Jacob Bedeau and Matty Platt plus goalkeeper Alex Bass, but they also have a variety of threats further up.

The Magpies boast the top midfield talent in the league in George Abbott, on loan from Tottenham, the division’s second-top goalscorer in Alassana Jatta, and proven creative maestros in David McGoldrick and Jodi Jones.

Wimbledon have had a good season, but Notts County’s range of qualities might see them to Wembley.