For a long while the Championship promotion battle seemed to be in effect a race for the play-offs and the chance to join Southampton and West Ham United in the Premier League. The big spending duo seemed to be a class above the opposition, but things have got interesting recently as the Hammers have faltered.
Sam Allardyce's outfit might have lost just once in the league in 2012, but they have drawn their last four 1-1 and suddenly seem to be treading water despite the recent recruitment of Nicky Maynard, Ricardo Vaz Te, Ravel Morrison and Danny Collins and those who bet with Bet Victor will be questioning their form.
'Big Sam' is battling to appease fans criticising the style of football the club is playing, but the Irons' relative slump would not have been significant had others not taken advantage. Reading's 3-0 win over West Ham in December was the start of a purple patch that produced 14 wins from 17 matches, a run ended surprisingly by Peterborough United this week.
The Royals have edged two points ahead of the Hammers having played a game more and having done the easy bit when the pressure was off they might find life harder when being chased. Brighton and Hove Albion have also joined the automatic promotion picture, losing once in 14 since the turn of the year after losing four on the bounce in December.
Albion are seven points adrift of West Ham and are just one ahead of Blackpool and Middlesbrough, teams that have been in the hunt for most of the campaign. Birmingham City, Hull City and Cardiff City are tightly bunched just outside the play-offs and all of these teams have not given up hope of finishing in the top two and the Bet Victor betting shows they're in with every chance.
Southampton have never been out of the top two all season and can look over the shoulder in relative comfort, as no one is playing better than the Saints, spearheaded by the free-scoring Rickie Lambert. They can start planning for life back in the top flight.
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