Pools tips and best bets for weekend of March 24-25

Ten draws: Bradford City v Gillingham, MK Dons v Blackpool, Southend v Rotherham, Exeter v Swindon, Dagenham & Redbridge v Fylde, Halifax v Solihull, Queen of South v Livingston, Airdrieonians v Raith, Forfar v East Fife, Berwick v Edinburgh.

Best draws: MK Dons v Blackpool, Southend v Rotherham, Exeter v Swindon, Halifax v Solihull, Airdrieonians v Raith.

Best weekend away bets: Wigan, Notts County, Mansfield, Lincoln, Dover, Alloa.

Best weekend home bets: Portsmouth, Shrewsbury, Coventry, Luton, Stevenage, Aldershot, Torquay, Wrexham, Ayr, Peterhead.


Pick of the draws: Consecutive home wins over Rotherham (3-2) and Bury (2-1) have raised hopes that MK Dons will avoid relegation from League One. However, I think mid-table Blackpool will prevent a hat-trick of home victories as their away form, which is reasonable, includes a recent 2-0 triumph at Portsmouth. Southend's surge up the table has been halted and they'll be hard-pushed to beat Rotherham, whose promotion claims were strengthened by a 3-0 win at Northampton last Saturday. Although Exeter climbed back into the League Two play-off positions by virtue of a 1-0 midweek away victory against Port Vale, Swindon, their opponents on Saturday, should be a match for them, having won 11 times on the road this season. Solihull's results in the National League have improved markedly since the new year. They now have a fighting chance of avoiding relegation and I'm taking them to deny Halifax victory. Raith may be second in Scottish League One but their away record is nothing special and I believe seventh-placed Airdrieonians will hold them.

Away days: Now they are out of the FA Cup, Wigan can concentrate solely on the league. Lying third in League One, their trip to bottom club Bury shouldn't give them any problems unless complacency sets in. Notts County, in contention for promotion from League Two, will be disappointed at anything less than a maximum haul at Chesterfield, who, although they have two matches in hand, are six points from safety. Mansfield's equaliser in the ninth minute of added time at Notts County last weekend will lift their confidence and their hosts, Forest Green, on Saturday could be the team to suffer. Lincoln, who are striving for successive promotions, look probable winners at lowly Morecambe while Dover, 2-0 home victors over National League leaders Macclesfield last Saturday, are strongly recommended at Barrow. In Scottish League One, Alloa are worth a punt at Albion, who have lost nine home games this season.

Homes sweet homes: Stevenage, under new manager Dino Maamria, are worth a wager against the better-placed Colchester in League Two. Numerous home draws have hindered Stevenage's progress this season but they can go one better here. Boreham Wood have exceeded expectations with their third place in the National League but despite losing only twice away, they could fall at Aldershot, who are also in the running for promotion. There's a bottom-of-the-table clash between Torquay and Guiseley and I'm backing Torquay, the former Football League club, to make the most of ground advantage.


Pools info: The following games will be assessed by the pools panel: Doncaster v Blackburn (No 4 on coupon), Oldham v Walsall (7), Accrington v Yeovil (13), Hartlepool v Bromley (29), Macclesfield v Gateshead (31), Inverness v Falkirk (36) and St Mirren v Dumbarton (39).