Uphill struggle for play-offs for Donegal duo after penultimate weekend

STEPHEN MCLAUGHLIN AND Dale Gorman have still a chance of making the play-offs this season – but the chances of both suffered blows today.

McLaughlin, from the Isle of Doagh, was part of the Southend United side that lost 1-0 against Shrewsbury Town in League One – a result that leaves them one point and one place outside of the play-offs with one fixture to play this term.

Southend are home to Bury on Sunday week, May 7, at 12 noon. Millwall, who are a place above Southend with a goal difference of eight worse, lost 3-0 at home today against Oxford United and travel to Bristol Rovers for their final outing.

McLaughlin played 65 minutes this afternoon and is expected to sign a new contract in the coming days.

1	Sheff Utd	45	29	10	6	89	45	44	97
2	Bolton	45	24	11	10	65	36	29	83
3	Fleetwood	45	23	12	10	64	43	21	81
4	Scunthorpe	45	23	10	12	77	53	24	79
5	Bradford City	45	20	18	7	61	42	19	78
6	Millwall	45	19	13	13	62	54	8	70
7	Southend Utd	45	19	12	14	69	53	16	69

Meanwhile, in League Two, Letterkenny native Gorman was an unused substitute as his Stevenage FC side slipped out of the play-offs with a 1-1 draw at Yeovil Town. Stevenage are home to Accrington Stanley on Saturday at 5:30pm.

Josh McQuoid’s close-range finish for Stevenage on 52 minutes cancelled out an opening goal on 44 minutes from Akpa Akpro. The top three in League Two have been promoted and whoever finishes in positions fourth to seventh enter the play-offs.

1	Plymouth	45	26	8	11	70	45	25	86
2	Doncaster	45	25	10	10	84	53	31	85
3	Portsmouth	45	25	9	11	73	39	34	84
4	Luton Town	45	19	17	9	67	42	25	74
5	Exeter City	45	21	8	16	73	53	20	71
6	Carlisle	45	17	17	11	66	66	0	68
7	Blackpool	45	17	16	12	66	45	21	67
8	Stevenage	45	20	7	18	67	60	7	67
9	Cambridge United	45	19	9	17	58	49	9	66
10	Colchester	45	18	12	15	65	57	8	66
11	Wycombe	45	18	12	15	57	53	4	66
12	Mansfield	45	17	14	14	52	48	4	65