League One Betting: Saunders can provide some Crawley cheer

Crawley Town's interim boss Dean Saunders

With time running out in the race for promotion and survival in League One, Alan Dudman picks out three matches and a trio of big prices to win...

Doncaster Rovers 2.245/4 v Peterborough United 3.412/5, the draw 3.613/5

Sixth position in League One at the moment seems something of a poisoned chalice, and the insecurity of that particular spot this season has been one of the features. OK, features may be pushing it.

Donny are the latest team in that slot, and whether you believe they are genuine play-off contenders is something for another day. Their overall form reads DDWLLWWWL. Their latest game at Gillingham had something of the 'jitters' about it, and in truth it wasn't a particularly good display.

Peterborough now find themselves within touching distance of the play-offs, and they are latest team from mid-table to put together a sequence.

Posh have now won all three matches since Darren Ferguson left the club. Maybe the shackles are free, as the new-look coaching staff which also involves Aaron McLean and Grant McCann have given the players more belief and confidence. The keeper Ben Alnwick looks transformed in terms of handling, Gab Zakuani looked a monster against Orient at the weekend and generally the side look more positive.

United were 15th, so the run of three victories highlights the murky waters outside the top four - as they all seem to beat each other. Barnsley looked dead and buried a month ago, and are now ludicrously a possible for the play-offs.

I also prefer siding with Donny away from home, so as a price call here, the young squad of the visitors and with their new-found hunger might just be in with a shout of gaining a win.

Recommended Bet
Back Peterborough United to win @ 3.412/5

Colchester United 2.0811/10 v Crawley Town 3.814/5, the draw 3.55/2

I'll paint the picture; 22nd against 23rd, hardly Rembrandt's 'Night Watch'. More 'night shift' I suspect.

But the fact the sides are next to each other in the table and we have almost two points bigger on the other should be taken as a big advantage.

Crawley have lost their last two but they have genuinely played really well in both defeats with Bristol City (1-2) and Bradford (0-1). In fact, interim boss Dean Saunders said the Bantams defeat was the best they have played under him.

Saunders was absolutely distraught after the Bristol City loss, as both goals came from set-pieces. It sounds as if the Welshman is putting in hours and hours of work on shape and positions with the defence, and I'm sure it's going to come good.

Saunders is an infectious character, it's also perhaps a last shot at a job at this level. His squad seem to be playing for him, and the mercurial talent of Lee Fowler (plucked from Nuneaton) has been coaxed into joining and has displayed flashes of magic. He has lost over a stone in weight and seems committed. Fowler is a very decent midfielder who has lost his way, but his partnership with Anthony Wordsworth in midfield might just bag them a few points, and they can start in this game.

They have been going 4-4-2 but allowing better teams to have the ball. It might be different here against the Essex side who have their own struggles.

I've given up trying to predict Colchester. They have lost three straight games and lost overall six from eight, and yet the two victories were against MK Dons and the then fifth-placed Oldham.

Both have 34 points, so Colchester might be worth a lay.

Recommended Bet
Back Crawley Town to win @ 3.55/2

Chesterfield 1.9310/11 v Coventry City 4.3100/30, the draw 3.55/2

Coventry are not quite in crisis, but you feel it's not too far away. However, I might be interested in that generous price on offer for the weekend.

The Sky Blues are winless under new manager Tony Mowbray, who has (in football parlance) a 'hell of a job' on his hands. The former Middlesbrough boss gained his first point on Tuesday with a 1-1 draw against Bradford. It was a match they should have won, a plethora of missed chances masked a poor game. And it was a real puzzle the best goal threat they have in the shape of Dominic Samuel was left in the bench.

City are only two points clear of the bottom four, but it's a strange situation that Mowbray finds himself in. He only has a short term contract himself, whilst many of the first team will have deals running out at the end of the season. Crowds have dropped at the Ricoh, although I don't think it's a bad thing they are away from home this weekend.

Hopefully Mowbray will have them set up on the counter-attack here and utilising their pace. It's a must that Samuel starts as he carries the best threat going forward.

Chesterfield are mid-table and are typical of that position. They lost four games on the spin prior to their latest victory against MK Dons - winning 2-1 in Buckinghamshire, but the hosts were poor.

The Spirerites have a couple of goal threats themselves. Winger Gary Roberts is fit-again, and he's a player I have always rated, whilst on-loan Caolan Lavery has found the net three times recently and he's extended his stay.

I'm taking a risk that Coventry's counter-attack might work here, and it's a risk worth taking considering the recent form I've been in, as I couldn't hit the 'Night Watch' with a banjo (or something like that).

Recommended Bet
Back Coventry to win @ 4.3100/30