Pools tips for this weekend March 31-April 1

Ten draws: Fulham v Norwich, Wolves v Bolton, Blackpool v Southampton, West Ham v Reading, Exeter v Colchester, MK Dons v Brentford, Accrington v AFC Wimbledon, Port Vale v Dagenham & Redbridge, St Mirren v Kilmarnock, Queen of the South v Ayr.


Best draws: Fulham v Norwich, West Ham v Reading, MK Dons v Brentford, Accrington v AFC Wimbledon, Port Vale v Dagenham & Redbridge.


Five aways: Chelsea, Arsenal, Leicester, Tranmere, Crawley.


Nine homes: Everton, Wigan, Ipswich, Portsmouth, Carlisle, Notts County, Crewe, Gillingham, Plymouth.


Pick of the draws: Fulham have lost their last three matches and may struggle to overcome Norwich, who have adapted so well to the Premier League. Reading are looking a more likely bet for automatic promotion from the Championship than West Ham. The two play each other on Saturday at Upton Park, where West Ham have dropped a lot of points. In League One, Brentford are on the march again after an indifferent spell and will feel confident of getting something from their trip to MK Dons. In League Two, I expect AFC Wimbledon to confirm their improvement by holding Accrington and Dagenham & Redbridge to gain a valuable point at Port Vale in their fight to avoid relegation.


Away days: Chelsea's Champions League win at Benfica will be a huge boost to their morale and ailing Aston Villa don't look capable of stopping them. Arsenal are determined to finish the season with a flourish and must be fancied to make it eight consecutive Premier League victories when they go to relegation-threatened QPR. Leicester are due a good away result and may get one at Peterborough, who are not completely safe from the Championship drop. The League One form team, Tranmere, are as good an away bet as any at Bury, who have declined alarmingly. Crawley are back on song in League Two and will surely defeat managerless Burton.


Homes sweet homes: Wigan must start winning at home if they are to escape relegation from the Premier League. I believe last Saturday's victory at Anfield will give them the confidence to prevail against Stoke. Portsmouth are making a spirited effort to stay in the Championship and should be backed against Burnley, who are dropping down the table. Carlisle strengthened their hold on the League One play-off positions with a fine win at MK Dons and are worth a punt against higher-placed Huddersfield. The same can be said for Plymouth, who lie 22nd in League Two but are showing much better form than the side they play on Saturday - Bradford City, who are 19th. 

Pools tips for this weekend March 24-25

Ten draws: Chelsea v Tottenham, Stoke v Manchester City, Derby v Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest v Brighton, Wycombe v MK Dons, Dagenham & Redbridge v Accrington, Morecambe v Shrewsbury, Northampton v Plymouth, St Johnstone v Hearts, Ayr v Morton.


Best draws: Derby v Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest v Brighton, Wycombe v MK Dons, Dagenham & Redbridge v Accrington, Morecambe v Shrewsbury.


Five aways: Peterborough, Carlisle, Sheffield Wednesday, Gillingham, Crewe.


Nine homes: Arsenal, Norwich, Sunderland, Swansea, Leicester, Preston, Tranmere, Yeovil, AFC Wimbledon.


Pick of the draws: Crystal Palace give very little away in the Championship and Derby will struggle to penetrate their defence. Nottingham Forest will be up for it after a remarkable 7-3 victory at Leeds but they will probably find it tougher against Brighton, who have moved into the play-off places. Two consecutive away wins in League One should enable lowly Wycombe to share the spoils with MK Dons, who have enjoyed some good results themselves. Mid-table Accrington have drawn 11 away games in League Two. I recommend a punt on them making it 12 at Dagenham & Redbridge, who are battling against relegation. Morecambe have run into form and I'm taking them to deny promotion-seeking Shrewsbury a much-needed victory.


Away days: If Peterborough can beat red-hot Reading they must be fancied against Barnsley, who are woefully out of form in the Championship. In League One I'm taking Carlisle to prevail at Colchester, who failed to overcome 10-man Stevenage, and promotion contenders Sheffield Wednesday to increase Leyton Orient's worries at the wrong end of the table. Bradford are only four points away from the League Two relegation zone and I think Gillingham will add to their anxiety. On-form Crewe can strengthen their play-off hopes with three points at struggling Hereford. 


Homes sweet homes: Swansea's quality in the Premier League has impressed everybody and I doubt whether Everton can halt their progress. In the Championship, Leicester manager Nigel Pearson will be eager to get the better of his former club Hull, who are surprisingly higher in the table. Yeovil have moved well away from the League One relegation zone and will be confident of defeating Hartlepool. Burton are in freefall in League Two, so AFC Wimbledon are looking good for maximum points.

Pools tips for this weekend March 17-18

Ten draws: Portsmouth v Bristol City, Exeter v Preston, Bristol Rovers v AFC Wimbledon, Burton v Torquay, Nuneaton v Hyde, Eastleigh v Dover, Sutton v Chelmsford, Woking v Welling, Airdrie v Forfar, Berwick v Queen's Park.


Best draws: Portsmouth v Bristol City, Bristol Rovers v AFC Wimbledon, Burton v Torquay, Sutton v Chelmsford, Woking v Welling.


Five aways: Reading, Carlisle, Southend, Bishop's Stortford, Dundee.


Nine homes: Ipswich, Colchester, Rochdale, Accrington, Aldershot, Barnet, Forest Green, Southport, FC Halifax.


Pick of the draws: Bottom club Portsmouth seem resigned to relegation from the Championship after their 10-point deduction, which should allow Bristol City, in danger of going down themselves, to escape from Fratton Park with a point. In League Two, AFC Wimbledon have acquitted themselves well on their travels and a visit to Bristol Rovers should hold no fears. Burton have been in freefall but I have a hunch they will stop the rot by holding Torquay. Sutton (4th) and Chelmsford (5th) are very evenly matched in the Blue Square Bet South and I cannot separate them. Woking are clear leaders in this division but if any team can hold them it's Welling, who are also in the promotion mix.


Away days: The claims of Reading, eight wins and a draw from their last nine games in the Championship, cannot be ignored at Barnsley, especially as the hosts have hit a rocky patch. League One play-off contenders Carlisle look a good thing at ailing Bournemouth and in League Two I expect Southend to return to winning ways at Hereford, who have already lost 11 times at home. Bishop's Stortford can confirm their improvement in the Blue Square Bet North by prevailing at Workington while in the Scottish first division Dundee's fine away record should stand them in good stead at Morton.


Homes sweet homes: Colchester won 2-0 at runaway leaders Charlton recently, so they are capable of upsetting Huddersfield, whose attempt at automatic promotion from League One is stalling. Bottom club Rochdale gained a deserved point in a 2-2 draw at Huddersfield last weekend and are worth a punt against inconsistent, mid-table Oldham. Aldershot, winners of their last four at home in League Two, have an excellent chance of making it five against Bradford City, who struggle to string good results together. Barnet are sliding dangerously close to the relegation zone, so they will be eager to avenge last season's home defeat by Morecambe. 

Pools tips for this weekend March 10-11

Ten draws: Bolton v QPR, Wolves v Blackburn, Bristol City v Cardiff, Burnley v Crystal Palace, Hull v Ipswich, Brentford v Sheff Utd, Tranmere v Leyton Orient, Gillingham v Crewe, Macclesfield v Crawley, Northampton v Aldershot.

Best draws: Wolves v Blackburn, Bristol City v Cardiff, Burnley v Crystal Palace, Brentford v Sheff Utd, Macclesfield v Crawley.

Five aways: Fulham, Liverpool, Blackpool, Scunthorpe, Oxford.

Nine homes: Chelsea, Everton, Man Utd, Norwich, Brighton, Derby, Southampton, Carlisle, Walsall.

Pick of the draws: Wolves and Blackburn are struggling to stay in the Premier League and wondering where their next win is coming from. After their heroic defeat in the Carling Cup final, Cardiff looked flat when they were beaten by West Ham last weekend and may struggle to overcome Bristol City. Crystal Palace are the draw specialists of the Championship and another one is on the cards when they visit Burnley. Promotion-seeking Sheffield United have been hindered by two consecutive defeats in League One and will be eager to avoid another loss against Brentford. Crawley have stumbled in League Two recently and Macclesfield, battling against relegation, could frustrate them.

Away days: Fulham have climbed into the top half of the Premier League and I'm taking them to continue their improvement at Aston Villa. Liverpool were unlucky to lose against Arsenal last weekend and are a good bet to take it out on Sunderland. I believe Blackpool will recover from their midweek setback at Derby in the Championship and prevail at Peterborough. Scunthorpe have hit form in League One and are worth a punt at goal-shy Preston. League Two play-off candidates Oxford, fresh from their victory over leaders Swindon, look a good thing at underperforming Bradford City.

Homes sweet homes: Teams often get an immediate lift when an unpopular manager departs and I believe Chelsea, for the first time in weeks, will be in the right frame of mind against Stoke. Everton are playing much better and could take advantage of Tottenham's recent setbacks. I'm taking Derby, on the back of two good recent results in the Championship, to send Watford home pointless. Walsall have moved clear of the League One relegation zone and can surprise Hartlepool.