Pools tips and best bets for weekend of Oct 18-19

Ten draws: Stoke v Swansea, Birmingham v Bolton, Reading v Derby, Chesterfield v Oldham, Peterborough v Barnsley, Scunthorpe v Colchester, Dagenham & Redbridge v Newport, Mansfield v Cambridge, Stevenage v Accrington, Motherwell v Dundee.

Best draws: Birmingham v Bolton, Scunthorpe v Colchester, Dagenham & Redbridge v Newport, Mansfield v Cambridge, Stevenage v Accrington.

Best weekend away bets: Chelsea, Bristol City, Doncaster, Swindon, Shrewsbury, Kilmarnock.

Best weekend home bets: Everton, Fulham, Ipswich, Wigan, Notts County, Preston, Rochdale, Plymouth, Hearts, Rangers.


Pick of the draws: I expect the Championship's bottom club, Bolton, to get an immediate lift from the appointment of former Celtic boss Neil Lennon as manager and I'll be surprised if they don't nick something from their visit to Birmingham. Scunthorpe's 3-0 win at Gillingham in League One last Saturday was rather distorted in that Gillingham played with 10 men for most of the match. They surely won't find it so easy against Colchester, who have climbed out of the relegation zone. Dagenham & Redbridge arrested their League Two slump with a fine 2-1 victory at Accrington last weekend. Newport will probably provide stiffer opposition and deadlock is the likeliest result. Cambridge's 5-1 thrashing of Oxford caught the eye last weekend but Mansfield also had a good result when drawing 1-1 at Portsmouth. This looks the best draw on the coupon. Visitors Accrington will be eager to make up for last Saturday's lapse and can do so at Stevenage, who are going the wrong way.

Away days: Premier League leaders Chelsea lost at Crystal Palace last season but I cannot see a repeat of that result at Selhurst Park on Saturday. After seven matches Jose Mourinho's side have dropped only one point and I'm expecting them to maintain their progress. Bristol City, top of League One, have collected more points than any of the other 91 Football League clubs. They look a formidable outfit and should be too strong for Coventry, who have disappointed so far. Doncaster have been better on their travels than on their own patch and they are worth a punt at fast-fading Fleetwood. Nobody is playing better than third-placed Swindon at the moment and they should be backed at Yeovil, who have dropped into the relegation zone. Despite being well placed in League Two, Shrewsbury have yet to win on their travels. I believe they'll break their duck at struggling York. In the Scottish Premiership, Kilmarnock are a decent bet to prevail at off-colour St Johnstone. 

Homes sweet homes: It's surprising to see Everton so close to the foot of the Premier League. They are better than that and I'm taking them to stop the rot against Aston Villa, who have stumbled after their flying start to the season. Fulham look a different proposition under Kit Symons. The Championship table suggests they have no chance against leaders Norwich but they are capable of collecting maximum points at Craven Cottage. Wigan, promotion contenders last season, have been one of the letdowns of 2014-15. They hover just above the relegation places but in their 2-2 draw at Wolves there were signs they were emerging from their slump. I reckon they'll improve their league position by beating Brentford.