LEAGUE ONE PREVIEW & PREDICTIONS
Here we go again as the season begins to enter the home straight……..
AFC WIMBLEDON v BARNSLEY
The Dons are certainly making a fight of trying to stay in the division but the odds seem to be stacked against them. Good performances are failing to yield the three points Wally Downes men need at the moment. Things don’t get any easier at Kingsmeadow this weekend as in form promotion contenders Barnsley come to town fresh from a good 3-0 win over improving Bradford last weekend. Daniel Stendell’s Tykes are unbeaten in six games & should be strong enough to take the points here.
PREDICTION AWAY WIN
BLACKPOOL v SHREWSBURY TOWN
The battling Shrews will have delighted their followers & manager Sam Ricketts with a magnificent midweek FA Cup fightback that saw them roar back from a two goal deficit to topple Championship Stoke City & reach round 4 but will their considerable exertions find them out as they embark on a trip to the seaside to face ninth placed Pool who themselves boosted their play-off ambitions with a fine victory at leaders Pompey last weekend. The tangerines have had a solid season so far in which coach Terry McPhillips & his side deserve a great deal of credit given the club’s well publicised off the field dramas. Narrow win for the Tangerines here.
PREDICTION HOME WIN
BRADFORD CITY v SOUTHEND UNITED
The Bantams had their fine recent run broken with a heavy defeat in the Yorkshire derby at Oakwell last weekend & manager David Hopkin will be looking for a positive reaction in this Valley Parade clash with Chris Powell’s mid table Shrimpers who seem to be on a win one lose one run right now that shows the inconsistencies that have blighted their season. Bradford need the points more as last weekend’s damaging defeat have plunged them back into the bottom four & I believe they will win this one.
PREDICTION HOME WIN
BRISTOL ROVERS v WYCOMBE WANDERERS
Gareth Ainsworth’s Chairboys put their recent worrying four game losing run behind them with a morale boosting last gasp 3-2 win over promotion contenders Donny last Saturday having being 2-0 down going into the last twenty minutes. Graham Coughlin has been doing a fine job since taking over the Gas recently & while they aren’t out of the relegation woods yet by any stretch of the imagination are five unbeaten & gained a fine point at Accy last weekend & with a bit more composure in front of goal could & probably should have won.
The Gas to continue their improvement in this one.
PREDICTION HOME WIN
CHARLTON ATHLETIC v ACCRINGTON STANLEY
Nineteen points from the last ten games has propelled the Addicks from play-off maybes to serious automatic promotion candidates. They seem to have recovered well from their two defeats over the festive season & are formidable opponents for anyone in the division especially at the Valley. John Coleman’s mid table Accy side seem to be struggling & moving in the opposite direction despite their FA Cup heroics & they will do well to improve on their recent record of taking only eight points from the last thirty available.
PREDICTION HOME WIN
DONCASTER ROVERS v BURTON ALBION
The Brewers suffered a hangover from their 9-0 Carabao Cup mauling at the Ethiad last weekend going down to defeat at home to Gillingham so a trip to in-form Donny may fill them with trepidation. I can only imagine the things Rovers boss Grant McCann was saying to his players at Wycombe last Saturday as they managed to lose a two goal lead to return from Buckinghamshire empty handed. I don’t think the Donny coaching staff will allow that to happen again for a while so I’m going for yet another…………..
PREDICTION HOME WIN
GILLINGHAM v WALSALL
I was at the game between these two teams at the Banks back in August & witnessed an entertaining 2-1 win for the Saddlers. That was a long time ago however & with only seven points gained from the last thirty available Dean Keates must act fast if he wants to avoid a relegation battle. The Gills have had a strange season, doing the league double over leaders Pompey & also some fine results against other fancied teams but then performing badly against struggling sides, however their fine win at the Pirelli should instil enough confidence in Steve Lovell’s outfit to send the visitors back to the West Midlands pointless.
PREDICTION HOME WIN
LUTON TOWN v PETERBOROUGH UNITED
Posh boosted their flagging play off bid with a narrow but welcome home win over struggling Rochdale last weekend but they will find this trip to face managerless Luton an altogether more difficult proposition. The Hatters were disappointed in losing their first game in what has felt like forever when narrowly beaten by Championship Wednesday in their midweek FA Cup replay which denied them of a fourth round trip to Stamford Bridge. The good news for fans of the Bedfordshire club is that they can now concentrate on firstly appointing a new manager that can carry on the magnificent work of the departed Nathan Jones & secondly trying to secure the clubs second successive promotion. Yet another…………………………
PREDICTION HOME WIN
OXFORD UNITED v PORTSMOUTH
A damaging run of five games without a win has plunged Karl Robinson’s U’s back into danger just as it looked like they might pull clear so a visit from Kenny Jackett’s league leaders & their travelling Pompey army won’t be particularly welcome down at the Kassam. Pompey are still well on course for a welcome return to the second tier but slightly concerning for their fans is the fact that they have tasted defeat three times in their last seven games but they should put last weekend’s surprise home defeat by Blackpool behind them here.
PREDICTION AWAY WIN
PLYMOUTH ARGYLE v COVENTRY CITY
Argyle seem to be stirring out of their slumbers just in time. There must be something about January that stirs the Devonians. Two straight wins have given Adams & his green army genuine belief that they can climb the table after being in the bottom four for almost the entire season so far. The inconsistent Sky Blues have had a reasonable season so far following their promotion back in May & sit comfortably in mid table but they don’t seem to fare well against struggling clubs, a fact born out in their disappointing home draw with the Dons last time out.
Pilgrims fans to continue their January love affair here.
PREDICTION HOME WIN
ROCHDALE v FLEETWOOD TOWN
Four straight league defeats have seen Keith Hill’s Dale plummet down the table & they are looking vulnerable as they try to avoid dropping back into League Two. Joey’s mid table Cod Army aren’t pulling any trees up either with a poor recent record of only one victory in their last five in the league. Both teams need the points so I’m going for a bore draw here (It’ll probably be 4-4 knowing my tips).
PREDICTION NO SCORE DRAW
SCUNTHORPE UNITED v SUNDERLAND
The huge Mackem army descend on Lincolnshire this weekend as Jack Ross takes his promotion contenders to Glanford Park to face Stuart McCall’s in form Iron team. The Scunny boss must be doing something right as it’s almost like he flipped a switch that has turned his struggling relegation threatened side towards mid table with four straight wins. The Black Cats remain very consistent with their defeat at Fratton Park being their only one in the last ten games although they do seem to draw plenty & may well share the spoils here too.
PREDICTION SCORE DRAW
words Ian Bradley, D3D4 roving reporter and predictions guru. You can follow Ian on twitter @Millmoor1