Pools tips and best bets for weekend of April 23-24

Ten draws: Fulham v Nottingham Forest, Doncaster v Coventry, Peterborough v Scunthorpe, Sheffield United v Barnsley, Morecambe v Stevenage, Notts County v Cambridge, Aldershot v Southport, Eastleigh v Tranmere, Gateshead v Bromley, Wrexham v Braintree.

Best draws: Fulham v Nottingham Forest, Peterborough v Scunthorpe, Sheffield United v Barnsley, Aldershot v Southport, Wrexham v Braintree.

Best weekend away bets: Brighton, Brentford, Burton, Northampton, Dover, Hibernian.

Best weekend home bets: Bournemouth, Manchester City, Sunderland, Cardiff, Huddersfield, Wigan, Accrington, Luton, Plymouth, Lincoln.


Pick of the draws: Fulham and Nottingham Forest, who have both had disappointing seasons, are among the draw specialists of the Championship and I think they'll continue the habit when they face each other at Craven Cottage on Saturday. Scunthorpe are one of the most improved sides in League One to such an extent that they have given themselves an outside chance of making the play-offs. However, they will have their work cut out at Peterborough, who are also running into form. Sheffield United are also making a late surge into play-off contention but Barnsley, their opponents on Saturday, are in an even stronger position and below Gillingham only on goal difference. Nobody in the National League has lost more home fixtures than middle-of-the-table Aldershot but they should at least avoid defeat against Southport, who are of similar mediocre quality. Braintree are bang in form and well placed to contest the play-offs. I'm backing them to share the spoils at Wrexham.

Away days: Brighton, edged out of the automatic promotion places in the Championship only by goal difference, are the team on a roll. They showed their intent with a 4-0 beating of Queens Park Rangers in midweek and they are a confident selection to prevail at Charlton, whose relegation to League One has been confirmed. MK Dons are almost down and have lost their past three home games, so Brentford will go there full of confidence. Burton, second in League One, have stumbled recently but I believe they'll get back on the winning track at Colchester, whose upturn in form will not save them from relegation. Northampton are already champions of League Two and heading for a huge points total. They should have few problems at 20th-placed Yeovil. Dover are the surprise promotion challengers in the National League and will surely triumph at relegated Kidderminster. Hibernian, third in the Scottish Championship, will have gained confidence from reaching the Scottish Cup final and they are recommended at Morton, who have little to play for except pride.

Homes sweet homes: Bournemouth have had an encouraging first season in the Premier League and will fancy their chances against Chelsea, who were desperately poor in losing 3-0 at home to Manchester City last weekend and may struggle to finish in the top half of the table. Sunderland have played the best of all the teams threatened by relegation from the Premier and gained a crucial victory at Norwich last Saturday. They host Arsenal on Sunday and will probably have too much passion and desire for the dispirited Gunners, whose season has been one long anti-climax. Few sides are more unpredictable than Huddersfield, of the Championship, but they are a match for anybody on their day. I've a hunch they'll have too much for Birmingham, whose play-off ambitions have bitten the dust.


Pools info: Preston v Burnley (No 10 on the coupon) is being played on Friday and is therefore void. Five of my draw selections were correct last weekend: Everton v Southampton, Leicester v West Ham, Brentford v Bristol City, Burton v Barnsley and Fleetwood v Oldham. Next week's blog will appear earlier than usual - on Sunday.