Preston boss Simon Grayson is looking for a sixth straight win
With a host of odds-on prices for Tuesday night's full set of League One fixtures, Alan Dudman believes in-form Preston offer some value, along with Scunthorpe and Port Vale....
Port Vale 2.588/5 v Oldham Athletic 3.052/1, the draw 3.7011/4
Oldham were in the play-off positions two weeks ago, and like a few teams when they enter that zone, seemingly 'brain freeze' and lose the plot. Since their surprising 2-1 victory over Swindon, they have subsequently lost three on the spin, with defeats to lowly Colchester and Leyton Orient.
The Owls have also lost their manager too, as Lee Johnson opted to take the Barnsley job. Oldham caretaker boss Andy Holden has a task on his hands to turn fortunes around from the 4-0 loss to Preston on Saturday.
Athletic look a typical League One side; good form follows bad form and vice versa. Suspensions and injuries have certainly played a part, but I'm not sure I can back them at 3.052/1.
Port Vale's home form is strong enough to take the 2.588/5 on offer for Tuesday evening. They are currently enjoying a run of just one defeat from their last six matches at Vale Park, including a 3-0 success against fifth-placed Doncaster.
Robert Page's side have also enjoyed three successive clean sheets and three successive victories - and yet still trade at decent odds. And on a night when there are many odds-on pokes, Vale are very interesting to record a home win.
Page was fulsome in his praise of recent loan signing Ryan Innis, described as a 'no-nonsense' central defender with a huge frame of 6ft 5in. And with that back four looking so strong, the Port Vale clean sheet at 1.9520/21 rates as a good bet too, considering Oldham's lack of a goal in the past three matches.
Recommended Bet
Back Port Vale to win @ 2.466/4
Fleetwood Town 2.166/5 v Scunthorpe United 4.03/1, the draw 3.505/2
Fleetwood's price in comparison to Port Vale's doesn't make a lot of sense. Firstly their home form recently reads WDWLDL, so I'm not sure I am interested in backing them considering they trade shorter than Vale. They're still in the hunt for the play-offs though, and currently sit 11th in League One.
The Cod Army were beaten easily on Saturday at Chesterfield, and were totally dominated. Yet beforehand they were 2-1 winners against Notts County; that's how this division rolls.
However, I want to keep the faith with Scunthorpe. Saturday was a massively frustrating day once again, and the footballing gods were certainly against me when the usually reliable Paddy Madden missed a penalty for the Iron in a 1-1 stalemate with Yeovil. United manager Mark Robins said it was a game they should have won, and was of that belief with the Barnsley game previously.
Scunthorpe's form of one point from a possible nine doesn't read particularly well, but they have certainly been better than that, and with a bit of luck could have had seven points.
I think they have been suffering at home due to both Barnsley and Yeovil just 'camping in' and playing for a point. Robins' side hasn't been good enough to break both teams down, so at least they might have a bit more freedom on Tuesday as the away team.
Yeovil had just one shot and scored on Saturday, which summed up the day. But I'll take crumbs of comfort from their last two performances and certainly will be interested in their juicy price too.
Recommended Bet
Back Scunthorpe United to win @ 3.953/1
Preston North End 1.9010/11 v Doncaster Rovers 4.407/2, the draw 3.6013/5
This ought to be fairly simple shouldn't it? North End have won five of their last five and have kept five successive clean sheets. On the same night Bradford are trading at 1.564/7, yet automatic chasing Preston are nearer evens.
Simon Grayson's side acquitted themselves well against Manchester United during the recent FA Cup defeat, but it's not hindered their much improved form. They have beaten Oldham 4-0, Walsall 1-0, Scunthorpe 2-0, Chesterfield 2-0 and Coventry 1-0, and such is their current run, the likes of Bristol City and MK Dons cannot slip up in their quest for automatic.
I tipped Preston to win the title in my ante-post column, and they trade at 6.6011/2 in the winner market, so they are still in with a shout (and goodness knows I need something to shout about).
The hosts have an impressive squad, and the fact Grayson can use Jermaine Beckford as a substitute highlights their strength in depth that few others can boast. Beckford came off the bench on Saturday and scored in the 4-0 success over Oldham, a performance described as 'fantastic' by Grayson (on a less than helpful pitch).
Doncaster are they 'away day' specialists and have moved up to fifth themselves, but like a few others, they might have a touch of the wobbles as soon as they reach giddy heights.
In-Play backers will be aware of Rovers and their astonishing record of winning 14 of the 16 games they have scored the first goal in. However, Preston have kept seven clean sheets at Deepdale this term and can kick on towards Bristol City.
Recommended Bet
Back Preston to win @ 1.9010/11
League One 2014/15 P/L (all selections one point)
-19.18 pts
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