Pools tips for weekend of November 17-18

Ten draws: Newcastle v Swansea, Birmingham v Hull, Cardiff v Middlesbrough, Huddersfield v Brighton, Watford v Wolves, Colchester v Bury, Rotherham v Cheltenham, Dumbarton v Morton, Arbroath v Queen of South, Forfar v Stenhousemuir.

Best draws: Birmingham v Hull, Cardiff v Middlesbrough, Watford v Wolves, Colchester v Bury, Dumbarton v Morton.

Five aways: Everton, Coventry, Doncaster, Crewe, Southend.

Nine homes: Queens Park Rangers, West Bromwich Albion, Bolton, Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest, Crawley, Sheffield United, Swindon, AFC Wimbledon.


Pick of the draws: Birmingham have yet to convince under manager Lee Clark and promotion-chasing Hull are well capable of taking a Championship point from St Andrew's. Third-placed Cardiff have won all eight of their home matches this season but in-form Middlesbrough, who are second, can stop them making it nine. Watford's shock 6-1 victory at Leeds last Saturday gave them an unexpected boost  but their home record is nothing to shout about and Wolves should at least match them. Mid-table Colchester have hit the wall recently, whereas their lowly League One visitors, Bury, have improved enough to take something from the game. Dumbarton, bottom of the Scottish first division, will have been encouraged by their 1-0 win at Cowdenbeath last weekend and can surprise Morton.

Away days: Everton are irresistible these days and must be fancied to heap more misery on Reading, who are still without a win in the Premier League. In League One, bottom club Hartlepool are in danger of being cast adrift from the rest and I believe visitors Coventry will add to their problems this weekend. Similarly, Doncaster can take advantage of the turmoil at cash-strapped Portsmouth, who lost their manager Michael Appleton to Blackpool last week. Crewe, who have won their last three matches, will be confident of prevailing at relegation-troubled Shrewsbury and I'm taking Southend to inflict Torquay's first home defeat of the season in League Two.

Homes sweet homes: Anything less than victory against struggling Southampton on Saturday will be unacceptable to Queens Park Rangers supporters and probably the QPR directors who employed beleaguered manager Mark Hughes. Expect bottom-of-the table QPR to break their Premier League duck. Title contenders Chelsea will be weakened by the absence of John Terry at high-riding West Bromwich Albion, so don't be surprised if the hosts win for the sixth time at home. I'm taking Sheffield United to make ground advantage count against fellow League One promotion contenders Stevenage and AFC Wimbledon to continue their climb away from the relegation zone in League Two by defeating Aldershot.