Pools tips and best bets for weekend of January 5-6

Ten draws: Bournemouth v Brighton, Middlesbrough v Peterborough, Millwall v Hull, Preston v Doncaster, Sheffield Wednesday v Luton, Cambridge v Stevenage, Crawley v Cheltenham, Macclesfield v Swindon, Dunfermline v Alloa, Bromley v AFC Fylde.

Best draws: Middlesbrough v Peterborough, Millwall v Hull, Preston v Doncaster, Sheffield Wednesday v Luton, Crawley v Cheltenham.

Best weekend away bets: Ipswich, Cardiff, Stoke, Burton, Bury, Barrow.

Best weekend home bets: Brentford, Derby, Newcastle, Norwich, Queens Park Rangers, West Bromwich, West Ham, Colchester, Ayr, Dagenham & Redbridge.

Pick of the draws: It's FA Cup third round weekend and Middlesbrough's stuttering form in the Championship should encourage League One Peterborough, who are often at their best in knockout competitions. Championship sides Millwall (19th) and Hull (13th), who meet at the new Den, excelled over the Christmas holiday period. Both gained maximum points from three matches, Hull beating Bolton 6-0 at home and winning 2-0 away at Leeds. A replay is the likeliest outcome. I'm tipping free-scoring Doncaster, of League One, to force a stalemate at Championship team Preston and Luton, second in the table and unbeaten in 13 games, to do the same at Sheffield Wednesday, who have appointed Steve Bruce as manager. Cheltenham are showing the best form of the relegation-threatened clubs in League Two and can share the spoils at Crawley.

Away days: Ipswich, who are rock bottom of the Championship, will be relieved to have a break from league football and I believe they'll take advantage of Accrington's slide down League One. Premier League strugglers Cardiff have just one away victory but I'll be surprised if they don't add to that at Gillingham, who are finding life difficult in League One. Stoke have disappointed in the Championship this season but they can make some amends by winning at Shrewsbury, who are in the lower half of League One. Outside the FA Cup, League Cup semi-finalists Burton, but mid-table in League One, are worth a punt at Rochdale, who are terrible at home. Bury, one of the form teams of League Two, will feel confident at lowly Yeovil and fast-improving Barrow, of the National League, are recommended at Havant & Waterlooville.

Homes sweet homes: Promotion-seeking Derby, from the Championship, can make it an early FA Cup exit for Southampton, who will probably be more concerned at preserving their Premier League status. The progress of Steve McLaren's Queens Park Rangers seems to have gone unnoticed and I'm backing them to knock out Championship leaders Leeds, who have lost their past two games. Dagenham & Redbridge, who have moved well clear of the National League relegation zone, are worth a wager against Boreham Wood, who are just above them.


Pools info: Three of my best five draws were correct last weekend: Preston v Aston Villa, Walsall v Luton and Cheltenham v Forest Green.