Both aiming to extend pleasing runs of results in recent weeks, Burton Albion and Northampton Town will square off at the Pirelli Stadium on Saturday.
The hosts have moved six points clear of the relegation zone in the League One table with back-to-back wins, while their visitors sit 11th following a victory a draw in their last two outings.
Match preview
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Burton Albion return to the Pirelli Stadium on Saturday in the midst of a pleasing run in their League One survival bid, having gained major ground since the appointment of Martin Paterson as manager in mid-January.
He inherited a Brewers side who sat in a concerning position at the bottom end of England's third tier with just 28 points on the board from their first 26 outings, and they have since added 10 more points to that tally in six further attempts.
Paterson's tenure began with an agonising 3-2 defeat away at promotion-chasing Derby County, having only conceded the decisive goal in injury time, before earning a first three-point haul at the second time of asking at home to Charlton Athletic, prevailing in a 2-0 triumph thanks to goals from Mark Helm and John Brayford.
Then following a draw with Cambridge United and a defeat to Lincoln City, the Brewers now find themselves on the back of consecutive 2-1 away wins in League One, firstly beating Bristol Rovers thanks to goals from Ciaran Gilligan and Helm before most recently toppling playoff-chasing Leyton Orient as Mason Bennett and Aristote Nsiala turned the game on its head in the final 20 minutes at Brisbane Road.
Having now moved six points clear of the relegation zone in 18th spot with 14 games to go thanks to their recent improvement, Burton Albion will now bid to make it three consecutive league wins for the first time since October to further increase their cushion.
That will be no easy task, though, as Northampton Town arrive in the midst of a creditable run of their own following a recent dip.
After winning promotion from League Two last time around, Saturday's visitors have enjoyed an impressive adjustment to life back in England's third tier, currently sitting 11th with 45 points on the board from their opening 33 games.
Following a hot streak across December and January, the Cobblers maintained an outside chance of taking a playoff place having moved onto 40 points from 27 games, but those hopes were all but dashed by a subsequent four-game winless streak which produced a single point.
Jon Brady's side have, at least, been able to bounce back in recent weeks, firstly ending their wait for a 13th league win of the campaign by beating Bristol Rovers 3-1 last weekend, thanks to goals from Patrick Brough, Mitch Pinnock and Marc Leonard, before most recently travelling to fifth-placed Oxford United on Tuesday and taking a creditable point from a 2-2 draw.
Tony Springett drew them level in injury time of that contest, and while the Cobblers are all but out of the playoff picture with an 11-point gap and five sides between themselves and sixth spot, they do still occupy a top-half place and will bid to add to an impressive campaign by extending their run in the coming weeks.
Team News
Following their back-to-back wins, Burton Albion should again be unchanged from the start on Saturday in Martin Paterson's preferred 5-3-2 shape, although mainstay Adedeji Oshilaja will return to contention in midfield after serving a suspension for an accumulation of yellow cards.
He may have to settle for a substitute appearance with Mark Helm, Joe Powell and Ciaran Gilligan having impressed as a trio in their last two games, while Aristote Nsiala and Ryan Sweeney are bound to continue alongside veteran John Brayford at the heart of the defence.
At the other end of the pitch, despite competition from Kyle Hudlin, Mason Bennett should again lead the line alongside Ademola Ola-Adebomi, who arrived on loan from Crystal Palace in January.
Northampton Town may also be unchanged from their midweek draw with Oxford United, although Tony Springett will push to start at the top end of their 4-2-3-1 shape after levelling the scores off the bench in injury time of that game.
Sam Hoskins will also fight to return from the start in attack, having netted a team-high tally of 14 goals so far this season, while Tyreece Simpson, Marc Leonard, Mitch Pinnock and Fulham loanee Kieron Bowie will all hope to keep their places.
Elsewhere, Will Hondermarck and Ben Fox should again line up at the base of the midfield, while Liam Moore will hope to displace either Jon Guthrie or Sam Sherring in the middle of the back four.
Burton Albion possible starting lineup:
Crocombe; Hamer, Nsiala, Brayford, Sweeney, Bola; Gilligan, Powell, Helm; Bennett, Ola-Adebomi
Northampton Town possible starting lineup:
Moulden; Willis, Sherring, Guthrie, Brough; Hondermarck, Fox; Hoskins, Leonard, Pinnock; Bowie
We say: Burton Albion 1-1 Northampton Town
Both teams will head into Saturday's game with renewed confidence thanks to recent results, and while the visitors have enjoyed the better campaign and boast the stronger squad, Burton Albion are certainly improving and should have enough to earn a share of the points on home turf.
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Sam Varley
