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Second-from-bottom Barney remains just two points off the top four, and one behind Gurney. Barney has missed the play-offs in the past two years but beating debutant Gurney would rocket him into contention. Barney has won three out of five career matches against Gurney but their previous PL meeting was a draw.

Snakebite has won once of eight matches in a nightmare campaign so far, and has also won one of his past eight matches against Anderson. Their last meeting, a month ago, ended 6-0 to Anderson who sits one point outside of the play-off spots. He is the obvious danger man to the current top four.

Whitlock has been, along with Smith, the surprise package so far but he has a one-point cushion keeping him in the play-off spots which might not survive a defeat to table-topping MVG. Whitlock is on the wrong end of a 5-30 head-to-head against MVG so might easily find himself fifth or sixth by the end of Thursday night.

The standout fixture of the evening sees No 2-placed Smith, two points off MVG, against No 3 Cross who trails the leader by four points. A Cross win gives MVG the chance to build a four-point gap at the top. Cross has won six out of seven career meetings, including earlier in this year’s PL.

These two enter the night as the bottom two in the league table, and could meet in those positions if Thursday’s earlier results don’t go their way.