Big Saturday Multiple: Smith's Walsall to edge battle in Black Country

Dean Smith has seen his side go unbeaten in six of their last seven

Jonno Turner looks to kick start the new year in style with a League One and Two treble win today...

With an absence of Championship fixtures today, we're starting our multiple in League One, where there's a Midlands derby taking place between Walsall and Coventry City.

Dean Smith's home side head into this encounter in 12th place in the middle tier, but so tight is this division that they find themselves just three points off the play-off positions.

A surprisingly comfortable 3-0 smashing of fourth-placed MK Dons on Sunday will have the Saddlers raring to go in front of a home crowd, and just a single loss from their last seven suggests that they are more than capable of grabbing maximum points here.

Indeed, they're unbeaten in five of their last half a dozen outings at the Banks' Stadium, and three clean sheets in that time indicates that their solidity could see them through here.

Making the 20-odd mile trip to this clash comes a sea of sky blue - and Coventry certainly need a win here, having gone three games without victory.

Steven Pressley's side haven't even managed to trouble the goalie in their last two outings, and that leaves them languishing in 17th position, and under pressure to engineer a turnaround, as they sit just three points outside the drop zone.

But seven without a win from their last nine on the road from the Ricoh, with 15 goals conceded, underlines just how tough the last couple of months have been for the visitors.

I reckon that this will be a close and hard-fought encounter, but home advantage should see Walsall edge it.

Bet 1: Walsall (HOME) @ 2.25n/a

We're dropping a division now, to League Two, where an in-form Newport County hosts Carlisle United in South Wales.

The home side have been in sparkling form of late, winning five of their last six, and that's a run of form that has lifted them to fifth place in the table.

Justin Edinburgh will be delighted with the performances of his charges, and their home form is even better, with 13 unbeaten from 15 at Rodney Parade over the last six months.

Heading to this game is Keith Curle's Carlisle United, a side hovering on the fringes of the relegation places, safe - for now - by just two points.

The Cumbrians face a long trip to this clash, one that might seem even longer than usual following a miserable 3-0 defeat to York in their last encounter.

Shipping goals has been a problem for the visitors all campaign, and 25 conceded since the start of October underlines just how temperamental they can be defensively.

The last time these two sides met, at the end of November, Newport ran out 3-2 winners at Brunton Park - and I reckon they'll steal a double over their opponents here.

Bet 2: Newport County (HOME) @ 1.855/6

And finally, we're staying in the bottom tier, where York City welcome Plymouth Argyle to Bootham Crescent.

The hosts line up for this clash sitting in 18th place in League Two, but will be full of morale and momentum following back-to-back wins without conceding a solitary goal.

A 1-0 defeat of Accrington Stanley and a 3-0 thrashing of Carlisle United have highlighted just how solid the Minstermen can be, and they will be keen to extend their superiority to a trio of victories this afternoon.

And they're difficult to beat on their own patch too - having avoided defeat in eight of their last 12 outings in front of their own fans.

Visitors Plymouth make the long and arduous trip up from the south west occupying the final play-off place, but under pressure from two sides vying for the same position, on the same amount of points.

It's not been a good festive period for the Pilgrims, who have fallen to a pair of losses - shipping four and notching just one - and boss John Sheridan will be desperate for them to start the new year with a bang on their travels.

But just one win from seven away from Home Park indicates that the visitors may struggle in this one.

Bet 3: York City (HOME) @ 2.47/5

Please note: Prices quoted are based on our Sportbook product, so any winnings are exempt from commission.