Five right results & one perfect score in midweek to keep up my 50% success rate. Storm Dennis is reputed to hit the UK this weekend so all the games may not get played but to all the fans attending games please stay safe.
Most club’s 3rd game in 7 days so they’ll be some aching limbs out there so here goes……
ACCRINGTON STANLEY v LINCOLN CITY
One thing is for sure, this battle won’t be for the purist. Two inconsistent mid-table sides who on their day are good attacking sides. John Coleman’s Accy come into this game buoyed by a fine win at Shrewsbury while Michael Appleton’s Imps were playing out a competitive 1-1 draw with revitalised MK I’m going for home advantage here.
PREDICTION: Accy 2 Imps 1
BOLTON WANDERERS v WYCOMBE WANDERERS
Although defeated in both games Keith Hill will have taken encouragement in the narrow 2-1 defeats to high-flyers Coventry & Doncaster. Relegation is a certainty but Hill & Flitcroft have got the Trotters playing with pride at least.
Gareth Ainsworth’s Chairboys moved out of the automatic promotion places down to 4th after suffering a damaging 1-0 defeat to a very good Fleetwood side in midweek & the boss will hope for their early-season consistent form to return against L2 bound Bolton. I’m tipping them to do just that, but it’ll be far from easy.
PREDICTION: Trotters 0 Chairboys 1
BRISTOL ROVERS v BLACKPOOL
The Gas can’t seem to buy a win at the moment & Garner’s side still need points to stop their slide towards danger. By all accounts they did everything but score in their 0-0 draw at Tranmere in midweek.
David Dunn has taken temporary charge of the Tangerines after the harsh sacking of Simon Grayson who was relieved of his duties after Tuesday’s 3-2 home defeat to Gillingham. Tough one to call this one but I’m sitting firmly on the fence & going for Desmonds.
PREDICTION: Gas 2 Pool 2
FLEETWOOD TOWN v PETERBOROUGH UNITED
They’ll be goals in this between two attack-minded sides.
The Cod Army have only lost once at their Highbury home & come into this game full of confidence after a great 1-0 victory at high flying Wycombe in midweek.
Second-placed Posh’s recent form is nothing short of frightening although their recent opposition hasn’t been the best but they’ll find this game a stern test.
Madden/Evans v Toney/Szmodicks mmmmmmmm desmonds again
PREDICTION: Cod Army 2 Posh 2
GILLINGHAM v DONCASTER ROVERS
Steve Evans’ Gills are on their best run of form for many a year & welcome fellow playoff contenders Donny at Priestfield. Although still in 11th & 7 points adrift of 6th placed Pompey they could eat into the deficit if this run of form continues.
8th place Rovers have had a productive week with their two home games producing four points although their fans would be the first to say that neither performance ( Rochdale 1-1 & Bolton 2-1) were particularly impressive but Darren Moore’s men got the job done but I think Rovers will come unstuck here.
PREDICTION: Gills 3 Donny 1
IPSWICH TOWN v BURTON ALBION
Out of the playoff picture after a disappointing 0-0 stalemate at Wimbledon, the awful form of the pre-season promotion favourites continued & victories are vital in the remaining few games if they are to reignite their playoff bid.
The 12th placed Brewers look certain to have another season in the 3rd tier as their own playoff push has stalled but Cloughie juniors side are solid performers & could heap more misery on Lambert’s side.
PREDICTION: Tractor Boys 1 Brewers 2
OXFORD UNITED v SUNDERLAND
Oxford remain as the best L1 team I’ve seen this season but their money-spinning FA Cup run have been at the detriment of their playoff bid & another L1 season beckons for Karl Robinson’s team.
The Mackem hordes head to the south with renewed vigour as Parkinson’s team seem to have clicked into gear & look poised for a tilt at the top 2 going into the season’s final furlong.
The Us are strong at home so the Black Cats may struggle for a maximum return.
PREDICTION: Us 2 Black Cats 1
PORTSMOUTH v SHREWSBURY TOWN
Pompey like Rotherham, Sunderland & Peterborough are in exceptional form right now but Tuesday’s narrow defeat at rivals Coventry was I believe a minor setback after nine straight wins. Another team making strong claims for one of the two automatic promotion places.
The New Meadow is not a happy place to be at the moment with Salop fans deeply unhappy not only with recent results but also with boss Sam Ricketts negative style of play. They head to fortress Fratton Park smarting after a deeply disappointing 2-0 defeat to Accy Stanley so confidence won’t be high. Can’t see past a home win here.
PREDICTION: Pompey 4-0 Salop
ROCHDALE v TRANMERE ROVERS
Spotland sees this battle of the strugglers with Dale still smarting over their spanking at Sunderland in midweek but BBM’s men did get a deserved & vital point at playoff-chasing Donny last weekend.
Micky Mellon’s SWA sit in the last of the 3 relegation places 6 points adrift of safety coming into this vital encounter. They are in no sort of form at all right now but I think they’ll sneak the points here, don’t ask me why.
PREDICTION: Dale 0 SWA 2
ROTHERHAM UNITED v AFC WIMBLEDON
The leaders head into this game the best-rested side in the division having not played since their 1-0 success at Lincoln last Friday Warne’s men have gained 7 wins from their last 8 L1 games & look well placed to continue their yo-yo existence between the 2nd & 3rd tiers.
Glyn Hodges Dons will put up a fight though coming into the game with a creditable 0-0 draw with high flying Ipswich in midweek. Goalscoring is still a major problem however & they will do well to achieve anything possible from their visit to South Yorkshire.
PREDICTION: Millers 3 Dons 1
SOUTHEND UNITED v COVENTRY CITY
Sol Campbell’s strugglers seem to be doomed to relegation after a midweek mauling at Posh so the visit of 3rd placed Cov whose recent form has been superb should have the Roots Hall faithful reaching for the paracetamol again.
THE Banker of the day
PREDICTION: Shrimpers 1 Sky Blues 4
words Ian Bradley, D3D4 Football’s predictions guru