CHAMPIONSHIP: Scunthorpe United - Peterborough United
The meeting of two struggling sides often results in goals and despite the visitors tightening up defensively and being involved in a number of low scoring games recently, I feel that will be the case tonight.
Hosts are two points outside the drop zone and targeted the matches with Plymouth at the weekend (where they recorded a come from behind win) and today, as vital to their survival plans. They might also have a little revenge in mind, after losing the reverse fixture 3-0 at London Road, the biggest win of the season for Posh. Scunny have the worst goal difference in the Champioship and are without a cleansheet in ten starts.
The visitors are ten points adrift of safety and their cause looks lost, having said that, they are showing a lot of heart and probably playing as well as at anytime this season. They have little choice but to "go for it" and a draw will not help them much, actually they have not registered a stalemate in 14 outings, so given the circumstances, that result seems unlikely this evening, unless it is a high scoring one. This is bound to get stretched after one team takes the lead and odds against the "over" looks decent value.
"Over" 2.5 goals 2.03 +.
DIVISION 1 : Southend United- Walsall
At this stage of the season the form book goes out the window and more matches are decided by heart and commitment. United showed they are up for the battle at the weekend, toiling away with ten men and coming back from two down to earn a much needed point against Carlisle. Hard to pinpoint exactly what has gone wrong at Roots Hall in recent months, they are in a financial mess, but that is true of many clubs and have been forced to sell a couple of key players, but that hardly explains why they are still without a win in 2010. Especially as this is a side with a little ability IMO. Two consecutive draws have at least steadied the ship and I am prepared to give them a chance tonight based on that and two very promising performances against highflyer's Norwich and Charlton last month, when the Shrimpers had the better of long periods, but absolutely no luck.
The visitors are safely tucked away in mid table and will soon be in a position to start building for next season. They make the most of the few chances they do create, but might be a little tired after playing half of their game against Colchester with ten men on Saturday and then making this long road journey across country today. The cleansheet at the weekend was their first in eight starts and with Roots Hall always being very noisy and intimidating under fllodlights, I do not think they will keep one tonight. Huge game for Southend, who are four points from safety and face three of their next four on the road, this is must win territory for them.
Southend -0.25 1.95 +.
Good Luck.
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