Pools tips and best bets for weekend of April 15-16

Ten draws: Wolves v Brentford, Blackburn v Hull, Millwall v Preston, Stoke v West Brom, Bristol Rovers v Derby, MK Dons v Cheltenham, Shrewsbury v Portsmouth, Carlisle v Northampton, Sutton v Leyton Orient, Swindon v Barrow.

Best draws: Blackburn v Hull, Millwall v Preston, MK Dons v Cheltenham, Shrewsbury v Portsmouth, Carlisle v Northampton.

Weekend's best football bets: Six aways: Crystal Palace, Arsenal, Burnley, Sheffield Wednesday, Barnsley,  Inverness.

Weekend's best football bets: Ten homes: Everton, Manchester City, Blackpool, Sheffield United, Ipswich, Lincoln, Harrogate, Salford, Stevenage, Rangers.

Pick of the draws: Blackburn may be higher in the Championship (sixth) than Hull (16th) but the visitors are in better form and can come away from Ewood Park with a point. Preston's two wins over the Easter holiday against Queens Park Rangers (2-0 away) and Reading (2-1 home) have put them on the verge of the play-offs and they are in the mood to frustrate fifth-placed Millwall, who failed to score over the Easter weekend. Cheltenham ended Ipswich's remarkable eight-game winning run in League One on Monday and I'm taking them to share the spoils at MK Dons, who are still not safe from the drop. Portsmouth's 15 league draws this season have been a curse rather than a blessing and I'm tipping them to take part in another stalemate at Shrewsbury, who are stumbling. The goals have dried up for Carlisle, who have slipped out of the League Two automatic promotion positions. I suspect they will need to find the net against Northampton, who are two places above them.

Away days: Crystal Palace's 5-1 victory at Leeds was the best Premier League result of last weekend. That made it two wins out of two for the returning veteran manager Roy Hodgson and a third consecutive triumph is on the cards at Southampton, who are in danger of being cast adrift. Leaders Arsenal were disappointed to have relinquished a 2-0 lead at Liverpool last Sunday but they'll be determined to resume winning ways on Sunday at struggling West Ham, where they have such a fine record. Burnley have clinched promotion to the top flight with six matches to spare and I can't see them showing any mercy to Reading, who are third from bottom in the Championship. After a dodgy spell, Sheffield Wednesday went top of League One when beating Accrington 3-0 at home on Monday and they'll fancy themselves at Burton. Barnsley, strong favourites to claim a play-off place, look an away banker at doomed Forest Green. In the Scottish Championship, the improving Inverness seem certain to prevail at bottom side Cove Rangers. 

Homes sweet homes: Since manager Sean Dyche arrived at Goodison Park, there hasn't been much wrong with lowly Everton's home form in the Premier League and they are well worth backing against mid-table Fulham, who have lost their spark. Although Blackpool seem certain to be relegated from the Championship, they should at least enjoy maximum points against Wigan, who are in an even worse predicament. Harrogate, in the battle to avoid relegation from League Two, came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at leaders Leyton Orient on Monday. That should boost them when they host out-of-sorts Doncaster, who have little to play for. 

Pools tips and best bets for Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday

 Ten draws: Brentford v Newcastle (Sat), Leicester v Bournemouth (Sat), Burnley v Sheffield United (Mon), Coventry v Watford (Mon), Derby v MK Dons (Mon), Port Vale v Oxford (Mon), Colchester v Crewe (Mon), Doncaster v Grimsby (Mon), Tranmere v Swindon (Mon), Hearts v St Mirren (Sat).

Best draws: Brentford v Newcastle, Burnley v Sheffield United, Coventry v Watford, Colchester v Crewe, Hearts v St Mirren.

Weekend's best bets: Six aways: Manchester City (Sat), Stoke (Mon), Swansea (Mon), Ipswich (Mon), Salford (Mon), Dundee (Sat).

Weekend's best bets: Ten homes: Aston Villa (Sat), Leeds (Sun), Huddersfield (Mon), Luton (Mon), Barnsley (Mon), Plymouth (Mon), Portsmouth (Mon), Bradford City (Mon), Leyton Orient (Mon), Stirling (Sat).

Pick of the draws: Newcastle raised their hopes of qualifying for next season's Champions League by  beating Manchester United 2-0 at home last Sunday and West Ham 5-1 away in midweek but there's no guarantee they will do the same to Brentford, who have only lost six times in the Premier League this season. Championship leaders Burnley dropped two home points when held to a goalless draw by Sunderland last Friday and they could falter again when they host second-placed Sheffield United, who relish playing away. Coventry, beaten 4-0 at home by Stoke, and Watford, 2-0 losers at Luton, suffered setbacks last weekend in their quest for a play-off place and they'll be determined not to experience a repeat. Colchester v Crewe next Monday features two goal-shy teams from League Two who are in transition. Don't be surprised if this draw ends goalless. Third-placed Hearts, surprisingly defeated 2-1 at lowly Kilmarnock in last Saturday's Scottish Premiership, may struggle to recover against St Mirren, who beat Livingston 3-0 at home.

Away days: Manchester City, with 17 goals in their past three matches, are on fire and impossible to ignore when they visit Southampton, the Premier League's bottom club. Stoke's 4-0 victory at Coventry was one of the best results of last weekend and I'm taking the fast-improving Championship side to gain another three points at Birmingham. Successive wins over Bristol City (2-0 home) and Cardiff (3-2 away) have lifted the mood at Swansea, who should make it three in a row at seemingly doomed Wigan. Ipswich's pursuit of the top two in League One looks set to continue at Cheltenham. I fancy high-flying Salford to edge out off-form Wimbledon in League Two and Dundee, 7-0 home winners over Hamilton in the Scottish Championship last Saturday, will feel confident at Arbroath.

Homes sweet homes: Leeds received a midweek bounce by beating Nottingham Forest 2-1 at home in the scrap to avoid relegation from the Premier League. I believe that feel-good factor will carry over into Sunday when they entertain Crystal Palace. Struggling Huddersfield, managed by veteran Neil Warnock, played superbly last Saturday to upset Middlesbrough, one of the best teams in the Championship. I think that shock victory will spur them on to another one against sixth-placed Blackburn. Bradford City, back in the League Two promotion reckoning, don't do as well at home as they should but I'm tipping them to get the better of the equally highly regarded Sutton on Easter Monday. 

Betting info: I scored eight out of ten homes last weekend with the following: Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Newcastle, Barnsley, Charlton, Portsmouth, Dundee and Queen of the South. 

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of April 1-2

 Ten draws: Bournemouth v Fulham, Nottingham Forest v Wolves, Birmingham v Blackburn, Cardiff v Swansea, Norwich v Sheffield United, Cheltenham v Burton, Barrow v Gillingham, Colchester v Newport, Northampton v Stevenage, St Mirren v Livingston.

Best draws: Bournemouth v Fulham, Nottingham Forest v Wolves, Birmingham v Blackburn, Barrow v Gillingham, Northampton v Stevenage.

Weekend's best bets: Six aways: Middlesbrough, Queens Park Rangers, Ipswich, Partick, Falkirk, Stirling. 

Weekend's best bets: Ten homes: Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Newcastle, Barnsley, Charlton, Peterborough, Portsmouth, Dundee, Dunfermline, Queen of the South.

Pick of the draws: Fulham may not have recovered from their 3-1 FA Cup quarter-final loss at Manchester United when they were reduced to nine men. Striker Mitrovic was one of the players sent off and Fulham will probably miss him against Bournemouth, who are desperate for Premier League points. Consecutive defeats against Tottenham (3-1 away) and Newcastle (2-1 home) have seen Nottingham Forest rejoin the scrap to avoid relegation from the Premier League. They face Wolves, who are also threatened by the drop. Blackburn, fifth in the Championship, relinquished a 2-1 lead at Sheffield United to miss out on an FA Cup semi-final place. The disappointment may adversely affect them at Birmingham. Gillingham's startling improvement in League Two has given them a chance of getting something at Barrow, whose hopes of a play-off place are fading. The slipshod manner of Stevenage's 3-1 home defeat by Salford last Saturday was untypical and they will surely be more professional at Northampton, who have overtaken them in the race for automatic promotion.

Away days: It's impossible to ignore the claims of Middlesbrough, third in the Championship, at Huddersfield, even though Neil Warnock's relegation-threatened side won at Millwall on their last outing. Queens Park Rangers, now managed by Gareth Ainsworth, will never have a better chance of winning away when they visit bottom team Wigan, who look doomed. Defeats by Sheffield Wednesday at Barnsley (4-2) and Forest Green (1-0), followed by a midweek 2-2 draw at Cheltenham, have given Ipswich fresh hope of automatic promotion from League One. They can win at Derby, who are stumbling. I've gone to Scotland for my other three away tips. Partick, fourth in the Championship, should assert their superiority over struggling Cove. Falkirk, second in League One, are recommended at Clyde, who are second from last, and League Two leaders Stirling will be confident of three points at third-from-bottom Elgin. 

Homes sweet homes: Although Crystal Palace have not won this year (a run of 13 matches), they are worth backing against Leicester, who are seriously underperforming. Veteran manager Roy Hodgson is back at Selhurst Park, at least until the end of the season, and I've a hunch he'll be celebrating a Premier League victory on Saturday evening. I'm also siding with Newcastle to avenge their 2-0 League Cup final defeat by Manchester United. Eddie Howe's players are showing signs of turning the corner with wins over Wolves (2-1 home) and Nottingham Forest (2-1 away). In League One I'm tipping Charlton, in 12th place, to beat Shrewsbury, who are 10th but losing ground in their attempts to qualify for the play-offs.

Betting info: I scored five out of six away wins last weekend with Northampton, Airdrieonians, Dunfermline, Alloa and Woking.

 

Pools tips and best bets for weekend of March 25-26

 Ten draws: Northern Ireland v Finland, Slovakia v Bosnia-Herzegovina, Gillingham v Carlisle, Swindon v Stockport, Stenhousemuir v Forfar, Boreham Wood v Eastleigh, Dorking v Maidenhead, Oldham v Solihull Moors, Wealdstone v Barnet, Yeovil v Bromley.

Best draws: Northern Ireland v Finland, Swindon v Stockport, Boreham Wood v Eastleigh, Oldham v Solihull Moors, Wealdstone v Barnet. 

Weekend's best football bets: Six aways: Sheffield Wednesday, Northampton, Airdrieonians (Friday), Dunfermline, Alloa, Woking.

Weekend's best football bets: Ten homes: Croatia, England, Scotland, Colchester, Ayr (Friday), Queen's Park (Friday), Stirling, Altrincham, Notts County, Wrexham.

Pick of the draws: This weekend's coupon consists of 14 European qualifying matches. The one most likely to end in stalemate is Northern Ireland, 59th in the world rankings, hosting Finland, who are 56th. League Two play-off contenders Stockport have drawn three of their past four games. There's a good chance of another deadlock when they visit Swindon, who are also in the habit of drawing. Eastleigh have climbed into the play-off places in the National League and I'm tipping them to come away with a point at Boreham Wood, who are directly below them. Solihull Moors are on the march, having won their last four matches, and look good for a point at Oldham, who have banished fears of relegation. Although Barnet have turned their season around - fifth in the table and in the FA Trophy semi-finals - they won't find it easy at Wealdstone, home of their local rivals. 

Away days: After losing 4-2 at Barnsley in midweek, Sheffield Wednesday lost the League One leadership to Plymouth but they will surely bounce straight back when they visit bottom side Forest Green on Sunday. I'm giving Northampton, fourth in League Two, the edge when they travel to inconsistent Doncaster. Airdrieonians, fresh from their 7-0 rout of Peterhead in Scottish League One, will be hot favourites at Clyde, who are second from bottom. Leaders Dunfermline should be equally confident at mid-table Montrose and Alloa, in third, will expect to prevail at Peterhead, who are last. Woking, third in the National League, are highly recommended at Maidstone, who seem doomed to relegation. 

Homes sweet homes: Lowly Colchester scored twice in the last two minutes to rescue a point at League Two leaders Leyton Orient last Saturday. That will lift their mood for the visit of mid-table Tranmere, who lost 3-1 at home to Newport last weekend. Stirling, the new Scottish League Two leaders after beating Forfar 2-0 at home in midweek, entertain the deposed Dumbarton, who crashed 5-1 at home to struggling Albion last Saturday - one of the upsets of the season. I'm backing Stirling to win this one. Altrincham, of the National League, are very good on their day and I'm backing them to defeat  Southend, who are higher in the table.

Pools info: Crewe v Bradford City (No.19 on coupon) has been postponed because of international call-ups and will be assessed by the pools panel.

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

 Ten draws: Aston Villa v Bournemouth, Wolves v Leeds, Blackpool v Coventry, Reading v Hull, Swansea v Bristol City, Accrington v MK Dons, Cheltenham v Exeter, Stockport v Mansfield, Tranmere v Newport, Partick v Dundee.

Best draws: Aston Villa v Bournemouth, Blackpool v Coventry, Swansea v Bristol City, Stockport v Mansfield, Partick v Dundee.

Weekend's best bets: Six aways: Newcastle (Friday), Luton, Portsmouth, Charlton, Swindon, East Fife. 

Weekend's best bets: Ten homes: Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Millwall, Stoke, Watford, Ipswich, Plymouth, Leyton Orient, Airdrieonians.

Pick of the draws: Bournemouth's fight against relegation from the Premier League was strengthened by their unexpected 1-0 home victory over Liverpool last Saturday. By all accounts it was deserved and I can see them frustrating Aston Villa, who are very up and down. Lowly Blackpool's 6-1 home triumph against Queens Park Rangers in a midweek Championship fixture took everybody by surprise but I doubt they'll have similar success when they host Coventry, who are proving harder to beat. Swansea's rough patch will be tested by the visit of Bristol City, who are in better shape. I suspect that Mansfield would have at least drawn at Northampton in midweek if they had kept 11 players on the pitch. The League Two play-off contenders travel to Stockport, who are also in the hunt promotion, and I predict a point apiece. Dundee, second in the Scottish Championship, go to Partick, who are just below them and in good form. Deadlock is the most likely result.

Away days: Newcastle's 2-1 win at home to Wolves last Sunday was their first three-pointer since January. They will be keen to stay in contention for next season's Champions League and they are worth a punt at Nottingham Forest, who were out of sorts when losing 3-1 at Tottenham last weekend. No team in the Championship has won more away matches than Luton, who are into double figures. They deserve to be in the play-off positions and I believe they'll take maximum points at Sunderland on Saturday. Portsmouth's away record in League One holds up well. They travel to Bristol Rovers, whose home form is indifferent. Charlton, 4-1 winners at Morecambe in midweek, will fancy themselves at struggling Cambridge. The same can be said for mid-table Swindon, who visit Rochdale, League Two's bottom side. I reckon East Fife, of Scottish League Two, 2-1 winners at Stenhousemuir last Saturday, will gain their second consecutive away victory at the expense of relegation-threatened Bonnyrigg Rose.

Homes sweet homes: Three wins in a row have galvanised Chelsea, who aim to finish their Premier League season strongly. I recommend them against Everton, who are especially weak away from home. Stoke have surged up the Championship table after victories over Sunderland (5-1 away), Blackburn (3-2 home) and a 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough in midweek. That should give them the confidence to defeat the better-placed Norwich. After their superb 2-0 win at Bolton last weekend, Ipswich are only two points behind League One runners-up Plymouth. It's time they turned some of those home draws into wins and I believe they'll do just that when they host Shrewsbury.