Comment: It's two from four with no pressure on Shrewsbury

With another – hugely important – of the remaining fixtures chalked off today, it is fast becoming time to take stock and make some tentative predictions.

Today’s visitors to Montgomery Waters Meadow, Rotherham, started the day in fourth and, at the minute, look like outsiders for the top two.

But it is testament to the run Paul Warne’s men have been on that they have got themselves into this stunning position. The Millers dropped as low as 13th in a sticky run of form before their early December revival.

Now, whichever way today’s first versus fourth clash goes, you would be foolish to rule last season’s Championship bottom side out of any late surge.

If they can continue anywhere near the form of the last couple of months then Shrewsbury, Wigan and Blackburn will need to keep an eye over their shoulders.

The phrase ‘two from three’ has been banded about for a few weeks now when discussing who will achieve automatic promotion this term.

Paul Hurst’s men, underdogs from the first kick, were supposed to have fallen away according to their rivals. But come mid-February they are still leapfrogging their glamorous and illustrious counterparts.

Wigan and Blackburn, who both looked practically untouchable barely a month ago, are now dropping points. Town have taken advantage.

Shrews might be top (and will stay top after today as Wigan are in FA Cup action and Blackburn don’t play until Monday) but the onus, expectancy and pressure is all on their rivals.

Town are no longer going under the radar – you must ignorant or in denial to not recognise their achievement at this point – but they still do not carry the weight of expectation that will come into play at the DW Stadium or Ewood Park.

The Latics and Rovers should be promoted. They should be going up. Their squads, facilities, resources, January additions, recent and long-term history – it all points in their favour. So while they have the extra baggage of expectancy, they should have acquired the tools to cope with it.

But football is a much more complex game and if it was played like that those pair would have ran away with it with Charlton and Portsmouth as the leading chasers.

Hurst’s men can – and will, you feel – use the lack of pressure to their advantage. Sure, there are thousands of Salopians now dreaming about the Championship, but that rather pales into insignificance in comparison to the demands Paul Cook and Tony Mowbray are working under.

Looking further beyond fourth, I admit to finding it difficult to make a case for a top two finish for Town’s other League One peers.

Scunthorpe, who always seem to be there or thereabouts with experience and nous on their side, have looked a shadow of their former self in recent weeks.

A run of just one win in seven games dating back to the turn of the year has stunted their progress. A gap of eight points separates fifth and second and the Iron have played multiple matches more than Shrews and Wigan.

It would take some run for Graham Alexander’s men to mount a charge.

Further back still lies the intriguing partnership of Bradford and Simon Grayson. Even a ‘new manager bounce’ would struggle to put them in contention given that the Bantams are a further five points behind Scunny.

You would be a bold punter to put your money on this year’s top two. But Town are very much there to book themselves a ticket.