Big Saturday Multiple: Robins looking for three points this festive period

22Dec 2012

Jonno Turner selects three domestic clashes to make up his last Big Saturday Multiple before Christmas.

We're off to the Midlands for our first pick of this three team multiple - and in-form Coventry City welcome struggling Preston North End to the Ricoh Arena, looking to extend their recent unbeaten run.

Mark Robins' side have had their fair share of troubles off the pitch, but at least the boss has engineered a shift in fortunes for the Sky Blues on it - and they have won their last four outings going into this one.

That form has seen the hosts climb the table into 13th place following a disastrous start to the campaign, and they will be looking to pile the pressure on the top seven with another three points here.

And the home side have smashed a whopping nine goals in their last two outings - a 5-1 dismissal of Walsall and a 4-1 thrashing of Doncaster - which will give them much confidence ahead of this tie.

Preston travel south having won just one of their last four league encounters, and they will be desperate to arrest that slump as they enter the busy festive period.

But Graham Westley's side have not scored in two games, and looked off the pace against Leyton Orient and Portsmouth in their last couple of away ties.

The Lancashire side are just one point behind their hosts going into this game, but their form of late couldn't have been much more different - and after struggling to a 3-3 penalties win at Bury in midweek, the visitors may be feeling tired.

Coventry are formidable at home at the moment, and just one loss from seven at the Ricoh makes them a little overpriced in my opinion.

Bet 1: Coventry City (HOME) @ 2.15

Staying in the third tier now, and focusing on the capital, as second placed Brentford host Stevenage at Griffin Park, aiming to secure their fourth win from four games.

Uwe Rosler's side are unbeaten in 10 league games on their own patch, and have won eight of those - which makes them one of the most lethal sides in the division in front of their own fans.

The Bees have scored 11 goals in their last five in West London and that will give them a boost in what could prove to be a hugely important game come the end of the season.

And victories against the likes of Sheffield United and MK Dons in recent weeks shows just how lethal Rosler's side have become on their own patch.

Stevenage travel to this encounter having enjoyed a decent start to the season themselves - but they currently sit in sixth place, with just one win from five.

Gary Smith's side will be smarting following a 2-1 loss at home to Crawley last time out, and that makes it just one clean sheet from 10 for the Boro, who will be desperate to shore up their leaky rearguard ahead of this one.

And nine goals conceded in their last five away from home suggests that the visitors are likely to present their hosts with a chance or two this afternoon.

Brentford have the chance of going top should they take a positive result from this game - and with such momentum and vigour shown in recent weeks, I can't see Rosler's side missing that opportunity.

Bet 2: Brentford (HOME) @ 1.75

And finally - we're dropping down to League Two for the third part of this today's Big Saturday Multiple - as Port Vale look to get back to winning ways against a struggling AFC Wimbledon side.

Micky Adams' charges lost their last home game to fellow promotion challengers Chesterfield - and that ended a run which had seen them go six league outings without a loss at Vale Park.

The hosts now sit second in the table, and will be keen to chalk up another victory here in order to keep within touching distance of leaders Gillingham.

15 goals smashed in their five games previous to that Chesterfield loss shows just how dominant this Vale side has been of late - and forward Tom Pope has been particularly lethal this campaign.

The visitors have been in miserable form this season, and go into this one having failed to win in half a dozen games.

Neal Ardley's side have shipped 11 goals in their last five, and that leaves them open to conceding as they face a Vale side full of attacking prowess this weekend.

Just one win from seven on the road underlines just how travel sick this Wimbledon side has been of late, and I can't see past Vale for the three points here.

Bet 3: Port Vale (HOME) @ 1.61