Betting Preview: Port Vale vs. Colchester United

Betting Preview: Port Vale vs. Colchester United

Fancy A Flutter On The Valiants On Good Friday?

Port Vale are 23/20 favourites to beat Colchester United this weekend with the Football League’s official sponsorsSky Bet.

Rob Page’s men welcome the U’s to Vale Park on Good Friday with three important points on the line for both sides.

In the reverse fixture at Weston Homes Community Stadium, the Valiants scored two quick-fire second half goals to seal three points. The final score that day was 2-1 and Vale are 15/2 to win by that same score line on Friday.

Chris Birchall repaid the manager’s faith at Leyton Orient by bagging the opening goal and the midfielder is 18/1 to do exactly that again on Saturday.

Striker Tom Pope is favourite to break the deadlock, though, at 5/1, while fellow forward Ben Williamson is 6/4 to net inside 90 minutes.

Tony Humes side are currently in the relegation zone so will be scrapping for those three points and they’re 23/10 with Sky Bet to get them.

The U’s drew their last game 2-2 away at Gillingham with former Vale midfielder Doug Loft’s 90th minute equaliser the only thing between them and a win.

A 2-2 draw at Vale Park is 12/1 with Sky Bet, while a 2-1 win for Colchester is 10/1.

For more odds please go to www.skybet.com but please not that odds are subject to change.

Crewe Alexandra vs. Crawley Town
Crewe gave their Sky Bet League 1 survival hopes a massive boost last weekend with a last-gasp victory over promotion-chasing Sheffield United, and now bid for three more points against one of their key rivals in the fight against the drop. Just two points separate Crewe and Crawley heading into their Good Friday clash, with Crewe 13/10 with Sky Bet to extend that to five, 9/4 it stays at two and 21/10 that Crawley leapfrog their opponents with victory. Crewe are 4/7 to stay up, and Crawley 7/4. Crewe lost three in a row before beating the Blades, while Crawley have won their last two away games 3-2; a repeat of that scoreline here is a chunky 40/1.
Top Tip: Over 3.5 goals at 5/2

Gillingham vs. Fleetwood Town
Gillingham are 6/4 favourites with Sky Bet for three points at home to Fleetwood on Good Friday. The visiting Cod Army sit only two points and two places higher than the Gills in 12th and are priced up at 9/5 for victory on the road. The draw is on offer at 9/4. Gillingham won 2-1 at Crawley last weekend but that’s just their second win in eight matches. Fleetwood are on a three-match winless run but their last two away games have seen them draw 2-2 at Bradford and win 2-1 against Sheffield United. These are two evenly matched sides so don’t be surprised by a draw this weekend.
Top Tip: The draw at 9/4

Oldham Athletic vs. Bristol City
Sky Bet League 1 leaders Bristol City continue their seemingly inevitable march to the title with a trip to Oldham on Good Friday. The Robins sit 10 points ahead of second-placed Preston in the standings and are made odds-on favourites at 5/6 for victory at SportsDirect.com Park. Hosts Oldham can be backed at 16/5 and the draw is on offer at 13/5. City are on a nine-match unbeaten run including seven victories and two draws. Aden Flint has scored in two of the Robins’ last three matches and looks a lively contender in the first goalscorer odds at 11/1. City striker Kieran Agard is the 5/1 favourites to open the scoring with Oldham’s Jonathan Forte on offer at 6/1.
Top Tip: Aden Flint to score first at 11/1

Preston North End vs. Rochdale
Preston are the 7/10 favourites to move a step closer to automatic promotion out of Sky Bet League 1 with victory at home to Rochdale. North End are unbeaten in their last 11 league games and haven’t lost at Deepdale in League 1 since the middle of November. A tough task faces play-off hopefuls Rochdale and they are the outsiders for victory at 4/1. The draw can be backed at 13/5. Four of Preston’s last five matches have contained exactly two goals and its 5/2 for that tally on Good Friday.
Top Tip: Exactly two goals to be scored at 5/2

Scunthorpe United vs. Peterborough United
There’s no splitting Scunthorpe and Peterborough in Sky Bet’s odds for the Good Friday clash with both sides priced up at 13/8 for the victory. The draw is on offer at 23/10. Scunthorpe are desperate for victory as a nine-match winless run has seen them plunged into big relegation trouble. Peterborough’s aspirations are on the final play-off place and they are looking to bounce back after a disappointing 1-0 defeat at home to Coventry last time out. The last two Scunthorpe games have contained exactly four goals – a 2-2 draw and 4-0 defeat – and you can get 5/1 for exactly that mark to be reached.
Top Tip: Exactly four goals to be scored at 5/1

Walsall vs. Notts County
Walsall are the odds-on favourites at 19/20 to beat Notts County in a clash between two sides with relegation fears. County are the outsiders at 3/1 for the win and the draw can be backed at 23/10. Walsall are on a five-match winless run and County have been waiting exactly the same amount of time for a victory. Both teams have scored in County’s last four outings and both of Walsall’s last two home games. You can back both teams to score at evens and a third 1-1 draw in a row in a Walsall’s home match can be supported at 5/1.
Top Tip: A 1-1 draw at 5/1

Yeovil Town vs. Chesterfield
Chesterfield are the 23/20 favourites to keep hold of the final play-off place in Sky Bet League 1 with victory at bottom-of-the-table Yeovil on Good Friday. The Glovers can be backed at 23/10 and the draw is priced up at 12/5. The visiting Spireites won 1-0 at Bradford in midweek and all of their previous three games have contained just one goal. Yeovil are looking to avoid a fifth defeat on the spin and time is running out for them to avoid being relegated for the second season in a row.
Top Tip: Exactly one goal to be scored at 3/1

Doncaster Rovers vs. Bradford City
Doncaster are the 11/8 favourites to win the Yorkshire derby against Bradford at the Keepmoat Stadium on Good Friday. The visiting Bantams can be backed at 2/1 and the draw is on offer at 9/4. Both sides sit in the top half of the table with Bradford just one place and one point higher than Rovers in 10th. Bradford have won only one of their last seven games but Doncaster aren’t in much better form with just one win in five. Bantams striker James Hanson joins Rovers duo Nathan Tyson and Curtis Main as joint-favourites in the first goalscorer betting at 6/1. No goalscorer can be backed at 15/2.
Top Tip: Nathan Tyson and James Hanson both to score at 15/2

Barnsley vs. Sheffield United
Barnsley and Sheffield United clash in a South Yorkshire derby on Saturday. The visiting Blades are the even-money favourites for the three points and the Tykes can be supported at 13/5. The draw is on offer at 5/2. Barnsley are one of Sky Bet League 1’s form sides with no defeat suffered in their last nine outings, although their previous three matches have all ended in draw after six wins in a row. United suffered a surprised 2-1 defeat at home to Crewe last time out after back-to-back home victories. Jason Holt has netted for the Blades in two matches running and looks a decent first goalscorer contender at 14/1. Mark McNulty of the visitors heads that market at 11/2 with George Waring the top Barnsley contender at 7/1.
Top Tip: Jason Holt to score first at 14/1

Swindon Town vs. MK Dons
The Sky Sports cameras are at the County Ground on Saturday for the big game between second-placed Swindon and third-placed MK Dons. The Robins are the 7/5 favourites for the win with the Dons made the outsiders at 15/8. The draw is on offer at 23/10. Swindon are looking for a fourth win on the spin and the Dons hope to stop them by claiming a third victory on the bounce. There have been exactly three goals in five of the Robins’ last seven games and 3/1 is the price for exactly that mark to be reached this weekend.
Top Tip: Exactly three goals to be scored at 3/1

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