Tuesday Selections

A summary of the bets for the night is available below. A review will be posted soon after the full time whistles.

Good luck to anyone involved!

BRISTOL CITY (DNB) v Reading 1pt @ 11/10

Burnley v NOTTINGHAM FOREST 1pt @ 21/10

Portsmouth v Peterborough Under 2.5 goals 2pts @ Evens

Forest Green Rovers v NEWPORT COUNTY (DNB) 1pt @ 8/5

Total Outlay: 5 points

Portsmouth v Peterborough Tip

Peterborough United have rightly earned a reputation as one of the more entertaining sides in the country, but they could be a part of a low scoring game on the south coast this evening.

Darren Ferguson’s Posh were on many a punters’ radar as a team that could be trusted to bring home bets on over 2.5 goals most weeks, and they began the season securing those bets without fail in the first five games in league and cup. That run was capped by an amazing 7-1 thumping of Ipswich Town at Loftus Road, but since then, the goals have started to show signs of drying up. In Peterborough’s next five matches, just one has involved three goals or more – a 2-1 win at home against Burnley. Meanwhile, Posh have suffered two 2-0 defeats (v Middlesbrough, @ Brighton) and two 1-0 defeats (v Hull and @ West Ham).

Add to those stats the potentially long-term absence of former Rushden and Diamonds man Lee Tomlin after he picked up an ankle injury at Upon Park on Saturday, and there is good reason to begin considering the prospect that under 2.5 goals may be being over-priced in Peterborough games.

Posh also head to face the under 2.5 kings on Tuesday night, in Portsmouth. Pompy defeated Blackpool 1-0 with a 9^th minute goal on Saturday – much my frustration – a score that continued a run of five consecutive home games with under 2.5 goals. Indeed, only an opening day 2-2 draw at Middlesbrough and a 4-3 loss at West Ham have seen Portsmouth be involved in games with more than two goals. The number of bookings and red cards picked up by Portsmouth this season also suggests a physical, rather than beautiful, style of football is being played at Fratton Park and that could lead to another low scoring encounter tonight. Luke Varney (suspension) and Dave Kitson are also out, meaning more problems for the hosts upfront.

Suggestion:

Portsmouth v Peterborough – Under 2.5 goals 2pts @ Evens (general)

Saturday Review

After a rough week, back to the world of profit this evening, albeit modest. Review below:

Aldershot 0-1 CRAWLEY TOWN : Only one goal at the Rec on the day that Aldershot found out that they would host Manchester United in the Carling Cup 4th Round. Doughty with the only goal on 64 minutes to secure the points for Steve Evans' side.

Portsmouth 1-0 BLACKPOOL (DNB) : Oh dear! Heading for the 'no bet' element of this tip when with virtually the final kick of the contest Portsmouth snatched a winner. 94th minute heartbreak after a level contest.

Wigan Athletic 1-2 SPURS : Comfortable enough for Spurs, although they perhaps should have put the home side away by more than a one goal margain. Early goals from Bale and Van der Vaart enough to grab three points.

Wigan Athletic 1-2 SPURS : Over 2.5 goals secured here as well when Diame pulled one back for Wigan on 50 minutes.

Summary of Bets:

Three Winners: Spurs win 1pt @ 5/6

                        Wigan v Spurs Over 2.5 goals 1pt @ 10/11

                        Crawley win 1pt @ 7/5

One loser: Blackpool DNB 1pt @ 23/17

Profit for day = 2.14 points

Total running loss for season = 0.07 points

Saturday Selections

Four bets for this Saturday afternoon then as I look to recover from the frustrating Brighton v Leeds contest from last night.

Aldershot v CRAWLEY TOWN (1pt win @ 7/5)

Portsmouth v BLACKPOOL (DNB) (1pt @ 23/17)

Wigan Athletic v SPURS (1pt win @ 5/6)

Wigan Athletic v Spurs Over 2.5 goals (1pt @ 10/11)

Check back later for a review, and feel free to add comments to disagree!

Portsmouth v Blackpool Tip

Regular readers of this blog will know the high regard inwhich I hold Blackpool as a team to follow in the Championship this season. Once again, they are the subject of another selection as they head to the south coast to face Portsmouth this afternoon.

Ian Holloway’s troops are in the midst of a four game unbeaten run in the league, and have only been beaten once all season (excluding a penalty shootout defeat at Sheffield Wednesday in the Carling Cup) – when Derby County claimed a 1-0 win at Bloomfield Road. Hull (away), Peterborough (home)and Ipswich (home) have all failed to claim a point against Blackpool, while Crystal Palace (away), Cardiff (home) and Brighton (away) have all been held to a draw. Veteran striker Kevin Phillips has already bagged five league goals this campaign and will once again pose a real danger to the Portsmouth rearguard.

As for Portsmouth, that defence has kept two clean-sheets this season against Reading (home) and Bristol City (away), and has only conceded more than a single goal on two occasions (Middlesbrough away when the score was 2-2, and a dramatic 4-3 loss at West Ham). Of more concern for home supporters may well be the clubs lack of discipline, with the sending off in consecutive games of Liam Lawrence and Luke Varney. Lawrence will return today, but Varney misses out, and Portsmouth also had five players booked in games against Brighton and Middlesbrough.

This could well be another low scoring encounter at Fratton Park – in four league and home matches this season from Portsmouth there have been just five total goals. But the value lays with the visitors at 23/17 in draw-no-bet market. Portsmouth may have just enough to stifle the Blackpool attack, but missing Luke Varney will not help their attacking prospects and if anyone should come out on top, it will most likely be the visitors.

Suggestion:

Blackpool Draw-No-Bet 1pt @ 23/17 (bwin)