Pools tips and best bets for weekend of Sept 17-18

Ten draws: West Bromwich v West Ham, Burton v Brighton, Ipswich v Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest v Norwich, Chesterfield v Northampton, Port Vale v Gillingham, Barnet v Colchester, Blackpool v Carlisle, Wycombe v Stevenage, Boreham Wood v Torquay.

Best draws: Burton v Brighton, Ipswich v Aston Villa, Barnet v Colchester, Blackpool v Carlisle, Boreham Wood v Torquay.

Best weekend away bets: Liverpool (Friday), Fleetwood, Scunthorpe, Millwall, Bolton, Luton.

Best weekend home bets: Everton, Manchester City, Tottenham, Blackburn, Newcastle, Charlton, Coventry, Doncaster, Hartlepool, Hibernian.


Pick of the draws: Nigel Clough's Burton are acquitting themselves well in the higher division of the Championship and can take a point off Brighton, whose early-season progress has stalled. Aston Villa have been playing better than their results suggest and I believe they will hold Ipswich, who are hindered by inconsistency. Relegated Colchester are one of the early front-runners in League Two. They visit Barnet, who are never easy to beat at home and this match-up looks the likeliest draw of all. After seven games Carlisle are undefeated on the road and I think they will extend that run at Blackpool, who have yet to hit their stride. Boreham Wood, possibly the most improved side in the National League, host Torquay in a mid-table clash that looks as if it will end in stalemate.

Away days: You are never quite sure which Liverpool will turn up these days but if they are at their best, as they were when beating Leicester 4-1 at home last weekend, they can come away from Chelsea with three points on Friday. Fleetwood have moved into promotion contention in League One and will be disappointed with anything less than maximum points at bottom club Rochdale. Free-scoring Scunthorpe thoroughly deserve their second place and must be confident of continuing the good work at Shrewsbury. It's impossible to ignore Millwall's chances at Southend, who are in the doldrums, and Bolton's at Walsall, who hover just above the relegation zone. Top-of-the-table Bolton are one of only four unbeaten teams in the Football League. League Two promotion challengers Luton were surprisingly beaten at home by Grimsby last Saturday but they will probably recover at Crawley, whose early-season promise has faded.


Homes sweet homes: Blackburn, bottom of the Championship and without a league win in seven matches, will be anxious to get off the mark against Rotherham, who are also at the wrong end of the table. Lowly Coventry gained a well-merited League One point in a 1-1 draw at Millwall last Saturday. Perhaps that will encourage them to better things and they are worth a punt at home to Oldham, who are hardly taxing opposition. Hartlepool returned to winning ways at Yeovil last weekend after being routed 6-1 at Stevenage and I'm tipping them to win at home for the first time this season when they play Mansfield.


Betting info: I scored five out of six with my away selections last weekend. Barnsley, Sheffield United, Doncaster, Macclesfield and Dagenham & Redbridge obliged.