Home and Away: Crawley to keep slim play-off hopes alive

29Mar 2013

Betfair

Jonno Turner picks two selections from the third tier to kick start the Easter weekend in style...

We're focusing on League One for our first pick this Good Friday - and Crawley Town host Stevenage at the Broadfield Stadium, looking to sustain a late charge for the play-offs.

The hosts currently sit in 12th place in the division - and are nine points away from the top six, meaning that, although unlikely, a place in the mix is still mathematically possible for the West Sussex side.

And they will be desperate to maintain a home record which has seen them avoid defeat in five of their last six on their own patch.

A 2-0 defeat of Crewe Alexandra in their last outing in front of their own fans will have boosted confidence in Richie Barker's side, and they will be aiming to build on two home clean sheets on the bounce here.

Visitors Stevenage travel to the Broadfield in miserable form, and have lost their last seven encounters on the road.

Caretaker boss Mark Roberts has seen his side fall to 15th place in the third tier, and eight goals conceded in four games - with just one scored - underlines just how poor the visitors have been of late.

The last time these two sides met, Crawley ran out 2-1 winners - and they will be keen to do the double over their out of form opponents this afternoon.

Bet 1: Crawley Town (HOME) @ 1.9

Staying in League One now, as Bournemouth travel to Colchester, with the Cherries eyeing second place in the table - with the end of the campaign in sight.

Eddie Howe's side have been in impressive form of late and go into this encounter in with a real chance of cementing their place in the top two of the division - and three wins on the bounce will have the visitors high in confidence ahead of this clash.

The south coast club showed just how lethal they are in the final third with a 4-1 thrashing of Bury last time out - but two clean sheets before that shows that the away side are strong enough in defence to hold out the Colchester attack this afternoon.

And in the bigger picture, 13 undefeated from their last 16 on their travels suggests that they will go into this game well capable of taking maximum points.

Hosts Colchester line up for this clash sitting in 19th place in the table - and are far from safe, just five points ahead of the relegation zone.

Joe Dunne's side have won just one of their last four games ahead of this one, and inconsistent form on their own patch has seen them lose three of their last five.

Ultimately, their failure to put together back to back wins in front of their own fans could cost them dearly - and United have not won two games in succession since October - a telling statistic.

Seven goals shipped in their last three at home points to weaknesses in the Colchester defence - and that is something that Howe will be looking to take advantage of this afternoon.

Bet 2: AFC Bournemouth (AWAY) @ 2.14