Over the past ten seasons, 89 points has the most needed to guarantee promotion to the Championship, but a bigger total may be needed this season.

Huddersfield’s defeat at Carlisle undid the good work of beating Charlton at the Galpharm a week earlier. The Terriers now trail second placed Sheffield United by eight points with a game in hand. That game will be played at Orient tonight and anything other than victory would almost certainly mean another play-off campaign for Simon Grayson’s team.

Victory in East London tonight though, plus a win against Sheffield Wednesday at the Galpharm on Saturday, would see Huddersfield go above the third placed Owls on goal difference. They then have to travel to the south coast on Monday to face Bournemouth.

Wednesday will be desperate to keep the pressure on bitter rivals Sheffield United, who they trail by two points. Wins at Huddersfield and at Hillsborough against Oldham, are essential if the Owls are to have a realistic chance of catching the Blades.

Sheffield United have come through a sticky patch and are now in good form. After taking just five points from five games they have now won three games in a row, scoring ten goals in the process. The Blades scored five at Meadow Lane against Notts County, then netted four times against Chesterfield at Bramall Lane last Wednesday. They completed the hat-trick at Hartlepool,with a Ched Evans penalty being enough to take all three points.

They have two reasonable looking Easter fixtures, Bouremouth will pitch up at Bramall Lane on Saturday and the Blades travel to lowly Rochdale on Monday. It is rare for a side in League One to win five successive matches but with Evans in sparkling form, Danny Wilson’s side will be confident that they can do it. Their rivals will be hoping that pressure will take its toll.

Like Bournemouth, Oldham have the onerous task of facing two of the top four over the holiday period. As well as Monday’s trip to Hillsborough, the Latics entertain Charlton on Saturday. Oldham are in poor form at Boundary Park, three defeats, a draw and win have yielded them just four points from their last five home games. Goal scoring has been the problem, they have netted just four times during this run, in four of thise games they scored one and drew a blank in the other.

The Latics have to make the long journey to Brentford tonight so the Addicks should have the edge in terms of freshness.

Given the solidity of Charlton’s defence, Chris Powell may feel a single goal will be enough for his team to take all three points back to London.

Walsall, who are hovering just above the bottom four, visit The Valley on Monday. The Saddlers have won just two games on their travels all season, though they have shared the spoils on eleven occasions.

The Addicks could scarcely have picked two better fixtures for the holiday period and all connected with the club will be confident of a six point haul. If they manage it, Charlton may well have done enough to seal their return to the Championship.