Wednesday 30 April 2014

Pools tips and recommended bets for weekend of May 3-4

Ten draws: Aston Villa v Hull, Swansea v Southampton, Millwall v Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest v Brighton, Crawley v Bristol City, Oldham v Notts County, Cheltenham v Dagenham & Redbridge, Hartlepool v Exeter, Scunthorpe v York, Cowdenbeath v Queen of South.

Best draws: Swansea v Southampton, Millwall v Bournemouth, Crawley v Bristol City, Oldham v Notts County, Hartlepool v Exeter.

Best weekend away bets: Tottenham, Queens Park Rangers, Middlesbrough, Leyton Orient, Rochdale, Rangers.

Best weekend home bets: Arsenal, Chelsea, Leicester, Reading, Gillingham, Peterborough, Sheffield United, Wolves, Bristol Rovers, Torquay.

Pick of the draws: Southampton beat Everton convincingly at St Mary's last Saturday. Their away form holds up too and they should be good enough to draw at Swansea, who are now safe from relegation to the Championship. Millwall need one more win to be sure of avoiding the drop into League One but they could have had easier opponents than Bournemouth, who have sparkled lately. League One Crawley were held to a home draw by relegation-threatened Carlisle in midweek. Their visitors on Saturday are Bristol City, who are determined to finish in the top half of the table after struggling early on. A point will be enough for Notts County to escape relegation. I believe they will get it at Oldham, who are in the habit of drawing at home. Exeter have a long journey to Hartlepool for their final game of the season but their away record has kept them in League Two and I fancy them to share the points.

Away days: Tottenham are ending the season in much better shape than West Ham and I expect them to avenge their early-season Premier League defeat by the Hammers at White Hart Lane. I'm taking Championship play-off side Queens Park Rangers to confirm their superiority over relegated Barnsley and mid-table Middlesbrough to do the same at bottom club Yeovil. Leyton Orient, fourth in League One, have been one of the success stories of the season and will probably have too much for MK Dons, who have lost more than they have won at home. Rochdale, who made sure of promotion from League Two last weekend, should be too strong for Newport. Rangers, runaway champions of Scottish League One, have not dropped an away point all season. They face their biggest test against second-placed Dunfermline in their final match but I'm confident they'll come through it for their 18th victory on the road.

Homes sweet homes: Having gained promotion to the Premier League, Burnley may take their foot off the pedal slightly. Any easing up could be enough for Championship play-off contenders Reading to claim victory. The hosts have regained some of their early-season zest and a win will guarantee them a place in the play-off semi-finals. A draw is all Bristol Rovers require to stay in League Two.  After last Saturday's crucial triumph at Wycombe, I believe they will go one better against Mansfield. Despite winning at Mansfield last weekend, Torquay's relegation was confirmed. However, they can still climb off the foot of the table by beating Wycombe, thereby sending the Buckinghamshire team down with them. 

Pools info: Crystal Palace v Liverpool (match No 4 on the coupon) has been put back to Monday and will be adjudicated by the pools panel.

Wednesday 23 April 2014

Pools tips and recommended bets for weekend of April 26-27

Ten draws: Southampton v Everton, Stoke v Tottenham, Bournemouth v Nottingham Forest, Queens Park Rangers v Millwall, Sheffield Wednesday v Bolton, Bradford City v Crawley, Carlisle v Oldham, Notts County v Swindon, Bury v Portsmouth, Fleetwood v Southend.

Best draws: Southampton v Everton, Bournemouth v Nottingham Forest, Sheffield Wednesday v Bolton, Carlisle v Oldham, Bury v Portsmouth.

Best weekend away bets: Leeds, Reading, Wolves, Bristol Rovers, Dundee, Falkirk.

Best weekend home bets: Fulham, Sunderland, West Bromwich, Derby, Middlesbrough, Wigan, Leyton Orient, Preston, Oxford, Plymouth.

Pick of the draws: Southampton are a match for any team on their day, which is bad news for Everton who will probably have to win their remaining four games to qualify for a Champions League spot. Bournemouth's chances of getting into the Championship play-offs faded over Easter, whereas Nottingham Forest's improved after victories over Birmingham (home) and Leeds (away). This match-up looks one of the best draws on the coupon. You never know what you are going to get with Sheffield Wednesday and Bolton. They are next to each other in the Championship and it's hard to separate them. Carlisle are in grave peril of relegation from League One and victory over mid-table Oldham may be beyond them. Bury and Portsmouth are League Two's most in-form sides and they meet at Gigg Lane, which has already played host to 11 stalemates this season. Don't be surprised if 11 becomes 12 on Saturday.

Away days: Birmingham have not won at home since October. It has put them in serious danger of the drop and I believe Leeds will become the latest team to prevail at St Andrew's. Reading moved back into the play-off positions by beating Middlesbrough and I think they will stay there. They should have too much for Doncaster, who are struggling to stay in the division. Wolves were confirmed as League One champions at the weekend and are determined to pass 100 points for the season. They will surely do this at Coventry, who are forced to play their home fixtures at Northampton's ground. In League Two, Bristol Rovers look better equipped to escape relegation than Saturday's opponents and rivals in distress, Wycombe. Have a punt on Rovers to come home with three points. In the Scottish Championship, I'm taking second-placed Dundee to recover from last Saturday's shock defeat by bottom club Morton by defeating lowly Alloa and third-placed Falkirk to also enhance their promotion challenge.

Homes sweet homes: Lowly Fulham have a fighting chance to gain three precious Premier League points at the expense of Hull, who are goal-shy and fragile on their travels. Two wonderful away results against title challengers Manchester City (2-2) and Chelsea (2-1) have given Sunderland a glimmer of hope in their fight against relegation. Three of their remaining four games are at home and they will be eager to face Cardiff, who are only one point better off. West Bromwich must stop throwing points away from winning positions if they are to avoid the drop. They have an opportunity to redeem themselves against mediocre West Ham at the Hawthorns on Saturday. 

Pools info: Arsenal v Newcastle (match No 1 on the coupon) has been put back to Monday and will be adjudicated by the pools panel. Brighton v Yeovil (13) and Port Vale v Sheffield United (30) are being played on Friday and will therefore be void. 

Wednesday 16 April 2014

Pools tips and recommended bets for weekend of April 19-20

Ten draws: Aston Villa v Southampton, Everton v Manchester United, Dumbarton v Queen of South, Airdrieonians v East Fife, Ayr v Dunfermline, Berwick v East Stirling, Leamington v Boston, Bishop's Stortford v Sutton, Hayes & Yeading v Boreham Wood, Malaga v Villarreal.

Best draws: Aston Villa v Southampton, Everton v Manchester United, Berwick v East Stirling, Bishop's Stortford v Sutton, Malaga v Villarreal.

Best weekend away bets: Arsenal, Swansea, Liverpool, Livingston, Dundee, Arbroath.

Best weekend home bets: Cardiff, Chelsea, Manchester City, Tottenham, Barnsley, Nottingham Forest, Portsmouth, St Johnstone, Falkirk, Hamilton.

Pick of the draws: Despite the unrest at Aston Villa, I expect them to gain a point from the visit of Southampton, who have faded lately. In another Premier League clash, Everton host Manchester United, who are managed by former Everton boss David Moyes. Everton's charge for a Champions League place was halted by Crystal Palace in one of the week's upsets. Moyes also has a point to prove on his return to Goodison Park and I reckon United will share the spoils. East Stirling had a morale-boosting victory over high-flying Annan in Scottish League Two last weekend, which should enable them to get something at mid-table Berwick. Sutton United, despite being second in the Skrill South, probably won't have things all their own way at Bishop's Stortford while in the Spanish League Malaga are capable of holding the better-placed Villarreal.

Away days: Arsenal travel to Hull on Sunday in a rehearsal of the FA Cup final. The Gunners returned to winning ways against West Ham and will be eager to have a psychological advantage over Steve Bruce's side before the big day. Arsenal also know that anything less than a victory will probably cost them a Champions League place next season. Newcastle, with nothing tangible to play for, look as though they cannot wait for the season to finish. Their visitors, Swansea, should be more motivated as they are still threatened by relegation. It is impossible to ignore the claims of Premier League leaders Liverpool, who travel to Norwich. Norwich, two points above the drop zone, just cannot score enough goals. One has to fancy the chances of Livingston at Cowdenbeath, who are second bottom of the Scottish Championship. Leaders Dundee will surely enhance their promotion hopes by beating already relegated Morton, and Arbroath, although bottom of Scottish League One, may be worth a punt at Forfar, who are on the wane.

Homes sweet homes: Cardiff gave their chances of Premier League survival an unexpected boost by winning at Southampton last Saturday. I believe they will beat Stoke on Saturday and put more pressure on the teams immediately above them. Barnsley climbed off the foot of the Championship with a crucial three points at Charlton, so they will be in the right frame of mind to hand out similar treatment to underachieving Leeds. St Johnstone v Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership is a forerunner to next month's Scottish Cup final. St Johnstone's semi-final win over Aberdeen was more praiseworthy than United's victory against Rangers and I've a feeling they will make home advantage count.

Wednesday 9 April 2014

Pools tips and recommended bets for weekend of April 12-13

Ten draws: West Bromwich v Tottenham, Leeds v Blackpool, Notts County v Port Vale, Exeter v Cheltenham, Newport v Wycombe, Alloa v Morton, Queen of South v Falkirk, Barnet v FC Halifax, Dartford v Forest Green, Woking v Alfreton.

Best draws: Leeds v Blackpool, Notts County v Port Vale, Newport v Wycombe, Queen of South v Falkirk, Barnet v FC Halifax.

Best weekend away bets: Everton, Bournemouth, Blackburn, Wolves, Chesterfield, Stirling.

Best weekend home bets: Southampton, Bolton, Derby, Ipswich, Millwall, Peterborough, Stevenage, Fleetwood, Plymouth, Dundee.


Pick of the draws: Leeds cannot buy a win at the moment while Blackpool are slipping towards the Championship relegation zone. I expect to see the teams cancel each other out. Notts County's revival in League One was cut short when they lost at Brentford last Saturday. They'll also find Port Vale difficult opponents as they try to avoid relegation and I doubt whether they will gain more than a point from this fixture. Wycombe are showing the spirit and zest needed to escape the drop from League Two and I'm tipping them to hold Newport, who don't look half the side they were at the start of the season. With matches running out in the Scottish Championship, Falkirk really need victory to put pressure on the top two teams, Hamilton and Dundee. I don't think they'll get it at Queen of South, who have improved markedly over the past few months. Barnet look as though they will just miss out on the Skrill Premier play-offs. They need maximum points against fellow contenders FC Halifax but I believe they will be denied.

Away days: Everton's hopes of competing in next season's Champions League were boosted when they outplayed Arsenal at Goodison Park last Sunday. They travel to the Premier League's bottom club Sunderland, who appear doomed after crashing 5-1 at Tottenham on Monday. This looks an away banker. Bournemouth's astonishing rise has given them an outside chance of finishing in the Championship play-offs. Given their momentum, it is hard to see them faltering at bottom-of-the-table Yeovil. I'm taking Blackburn to confirm their improvement by defeating inconsistent Sheffield Wednesday. Wolves, the League One leaders, will surely have too much for relegation-threatened Crewe. Chesterfield, third in League Two, shouldn't be too inconvenienced by Hartlepool, who are going backwards, while in Scottish League Two, fourth-placed Stirling are recommended at Albion.

Homes sweet homes: Two consecutive away wins have given Millwall new hope of avoiding relegation from the Championship. If they can beat Nottingham Forest and Wigan then Millwall should have every chance against Watford, whose form fluctuates wildly. Stevenage may be bottom of League One but they are in better form than Saturday's opponents Colchester, who have slid dangerously close to the relegation zone. I believe Stevenage will be the happier of the two on Saturday evening. In League Two, ninth-placed Plymouth are playing much better than the side immediately above them, Oxford, who have dropped out of the play-off places. Put your money on a home win.

Thursday 3 April 2014

Pools tips and recommended bets for weekend of April 5-6

Ten draws: Cardiff v Crystal Palace, Doncaster v Birmingham, Huddersfield v Bolton, Watford v Burnley, Colchester v Tranmere, Coventry v MK Dons, Port Vale v Walsall, Sheffield United v Leyton Orient, Morecambe v Mansfield, Kilmarnock v St Johnstone.

Best draws: Doncaster v Birmingham, Watford v Burnley, Coventry v MK Dons, Sheffield United v Leyton Orient, Morecambe v Mansfield.

Best weekend away bets: Arsenal, Swansea, Crewe, Rotherham, Aberdeen, Motherwell.

Best weekend home bets: Aston Villa, Barnsley, Blackpool, Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest, Wigan, Brentford, Bury, Chesterfield, Portsmouth.


Pick of the draws: Birmingham's away form is keeping them out of the Championship relegation zone. They have gained eight victories on their travels and I believe they will nick a draw at Doncaster, who have had some good results themselves lately. Burnley, firm favourites for automatic promotion, have seven away draws to their name. I think they will make it eight at Watford, who are beginning to look more convincing. Coventry have been hindered by having to play their League One home matches at Northampton's Sixfields stadium. MK Dons, with eight away wins, are well equipped to take advantage. Nigel Clough has worked wonders to turn around Sheffield United's season but they may have one eye on the following week's FA Cup semi-final when they host promotion contenders Leyton Orient. Orient are another side who have shone away from home (11 triumphs) but they have faded in the past few weeks. Mansfield have banished fears of relegation from League Two with wins over Hartlepool and AFC Wimbledon and can share the spoils with Morecambe.

Away days: Faltering Arsenal are due a good performance away and I'm taking them to provide it at Goodison Park on Sunday, despite Everton's resurgence. Arsenal's second-half display against Premier League title favourites Manchester City last Saturday was their best for some time. If repeated against Everton, it should be good enough for maximum points. Swansea are steadily climbing the table whereas Hull seem to be moving in the opposite direction. The Swans are worth a punt here. Relegation-threatened Crewe could collect some desperately needed points at Crawley, who have lost their last three League One matches while scoring only once. Nobody in the top four divisions has won more away games than Rotherham and they are tipped to improve that record at Gillingham, who cannot be relied on at home. Aberdeen, second in the Scottish Premiership, look a good thing at Hibernian, who can't even make the top half, while third-placed Motherwell are recommended at second from bottom St Mirren.

Homes sweet homes: Barnsley, with two away successes in a row, are making a spirited attempt to avoid relegation from the Championship and I'm backing them to upset Brighton, who appear to have hit the wall. Unfashionable Bournemouth have surprised everybody with their progress this season and are in the mood to beat high-flyers Queens Park Rangers. In League Two, improving Bury are worth supporting against erratic Exeter and Portsmouth, who are precariously placed, can build on last weekend's victory at Newport by defeating Hartlepool.