With just two points separating them around the middle of the League One table, Wigan Athletic and Bristol Rovers will do battle in the final game of the season at the DW Stadium on Saturday.
Back-to-back victories have seen the hosts move above their visitors and into 13th spot, with the chance to climb into the top half with a victory in the last round of games.
Match preview
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Wigan Athletic return to the DW Stadium on Saturday with the aim of completing a pleasing end to their League One campaign under the tutelage of Shaun Maloney, having enjoyed a competitive season to establish a mid-table position in England's third tier.
That is despite a pair of four-point deductions handed to the Latics at the beginning of the season, as they quickly overcame the deficit and quashed any fears of a relegation dogfight early in the new year, before climbing towards the top half with an impressive run of form since mid-March.
In their last seven outings, the Lancashire outfit have added 12 points to their tally, including a four-match unbeaten streak heading into the weekend as they firstly played out draws with Port Vale and Charlton Athletic before recording a pair of statement victories on the road in the last two weeks.
A trip to playoff-chasing Lincoln City posed a tough challenge for Maloney's men, but they were able to end their hosts' 16-game unbeaten streak with a 2-1 triumph thanks to Charlie Hughes's injury-time winner, before most recently visiting already-promoted Portsmouth and prevailing by the same scoreline last weekend with Luke Chambers and Josh Magennis on the scoresheet.
Now sitting 13th in England's fourth tier on 59 points in spite of their deduction, with their 19 victories being the most outside of the division's top eight, Wigan Athletic will bid to end on a positive note at the DW Stadium on Saturday and make it three wins on the bounce to stand a chance of cracking the top half.
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Their visitors, meanwhile, travel to Lancashire in search of a three-point haul which would see them move back ahead of their hosts in a tight mid-table pack on the final day.
A solid third-tier campaign left Bristol Rovers poised outside of the playoff places into the new year, and Matt Taylor's side would move onto 49 points from 35 games with back-to-back wins in March, but they have since dropped quickly down the division as a result of a major dip in form.
Indeed, the Gas have added just eight more points to their tally in the last 10 attempts, firstly enduring a seven-game winless run before bouncing back in style and keeping their top-half hopes alive with back-to-back triumphs over Cheltenham Town and Cambridge United in mid-April.
Aiming to build on those results in the final two games, Taylor's men most recently met fourth-placed Peterborough United at the Memorial Stadium on Saturday and saw any hopes of a winning run to end the campaign put to bed, as goals from Joel Randall and Ricky-Jade Jones late in each half sealed a 2-0 triumph for the visitors.
Bristol Rovers did drop back down to 15th spot as a result of that setback last time out, but given they are only trailing Saturday's hosts and Northampton Town by two points heading into the final day, they have the chance to improve their standing with a victory on their travels.
Team News
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Shaun Maloney could field an unchanged Wigan Athletic starting XI after their impressive 2-1 win away at Portsmouth last time out, although Josh Magennis has a claim to come in and lead the line from the start after scoring their second goal off the bench at Fratton Park.
In Stephen Humphrys's absence through injury, he will compete with Charlie Kelman to start up top, while Jonny Smith, Thelo Aasgaard and Martial Godo will likely continue in a support trio.
Elsewhere, Matt Smith and Baba Adeeko will again line up at the base of midfield, while Liam Morrison will continue to join 20-year-old mainstay Charlie Hughes at the heart of the back four after returning to the starting XI on Saturday.
Bristol Rovers will likely head to the DW Stadium without centre-back Connor Taylor, who was forced off inside the opening 10 minutes against Peterborough last time out, while midfielder Jordan Rossiter is also subject to a fitness test.
In Taylor's place, James Connolly will come in to join Elkan Baggott in the middle of their back four, while Antony Evans remains a key man in midfield in their 4-2-3-1 setup.
At the top end of the pitch, Jevani Brown should again lead the line with support from wingers Luke Thomas and Scott Sinclair, despite competition from Hull City loanee Harry Vaughan.
Wigan Athletic possible starting lineup:
Tickle; Sessegnon, Hughes, Morrison, Chambers; M Smith, Adeeko; J Smith, Aasgaard, Godo; Magennis
Bristol Rovers possible starting lineup:
Ward; Hunt, Connolly, Baggott, Vale; Evans, Conteh; Sinclair, Aguilera, Thomas; Brown
We say: Wigan Athletic 2-1 Bristol Rovers
Heading into the final day with plenty of confidence in the camp following back-to-back wins, we back Wigan Athletic to prevail in a third straight victory to end a pleasing League One campaign under Shaun Maloney.
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Sam Varley
