Championship
Fixture: Crystal Palace 2-1 Doncaster
Venue: Selhurst Park (C Palace home)
Kick-off: 3pm GMT
Verdict: While many are having a chuckle that Palace's resurgance has coincided with that of the man-mountain (more mountaineous man) Shefki Kuki, there is a serious play for the play-offs going on here. Those without short memories will remember that Palace are good in the second half of the season and have a glut of youngsters capable of beating the best of them. Doncaster have scored (hallelujah) twice since their embarassing run of six games without a goal. But their improvement is sparse and they haven't won away from home since the opening day of the season.
Betting Advice: 4pts Palace win at 4/6 (1.67 generally)
Fixture: Preston 1-0 Birmingham
Venue: Deepdale (Preston home)
Kick-off: 3pm GMT
Verdict: We must have the strength of our convictions and back Birmingham. They have hit crucial form and a crucial stage of the season. Wolves are stuttering, Reading behind them are not and they still have the best team in the league on paper. They are starting to play like it, too, but must get a run going. We are one for one on their latest run, and I'm backing them to make a statement to the rest of the division against one of the better teams in the play-off race.
Betting Advice: 3pts Birmingham win at 8/5 (2.6 Bet365 and Canbet)
League One
Fixture: Carlisle 1-2 Leicester
Venue: Brunton Park (Carlisle home)
Kick-off: 3pm GMT
Verdict: Leicester's march to the top has been made on the back of quite a balanced record that has seen just as many away wins as victories at the Walkers Stadium. Which suggests a team with little fear of any team. Carlisle get most of their home points from a siege mentality borne from their extreme geographical position. That won't bother the league leaders who have the mentality to make it a quick return to the Championship.
Betting Advice: 4pts Leicester win at 23/20 (2.15 at BlueSq and 888sport)
Fixture: Leyton Orient 1-2 Cheltenham
Venue: Brisbane Road (Orient home)
Kick-off: 3pm GMT
Verdict: Orient stopped the rot in November with an unbeaten run that included three wins out of four league games and a victory in the FA Cup at Bradford. They consolidated that run last week by keeping highflying Northampton top a draw. For their sake lowly injury-hit Cheltenham must be a home win or they'll be back in trouble before they know it.
Betting Advice: 4pts Leyton win at 10/11 (1.91 generally)
League Two<
Fixture: Grimsby 1-0 Shrewsbury
Venue: Blundell Park (Grimsby home)
Kick-off: 3pm GMT
Verdict: If the Shrews are going to gain promotion they have to sort out their appalling away record that has garnered just one victory all season appalling considering they're in second. What better place to go on the back of a two-game winning run than Grimsby who have managed one win all season, and that was on their travels.
Betting Advice: 3pts Shrewsbury win at 6/5 (2.2 generally)
