Championship / Mike Norman / 13 April 2012 /

It's at the point of the season where 'matters' can be decided in the Championship and Mike Norman believes Watford are a great price to keep their play-off hopes alive, whilst Donny and Pompey will serve up plenty of goals.

Birmingham v Bristol City, KO: Saturday 15:00, Match Odds: Birmingham [1.52], Bristol City [7.6], The Draw [4.6]

Birmingham are on a roll, and full credit to Chris Hughton and his players for being so. I didn't fancy them one iota to be involved in the promotion picture at the start of the season, but despite a huge amount of players leaving the club they are arguably the form side going into the play-offs.

Brum have won three and drawn one of their last four games, scoring exactly three goals in each of those games, and a win against relegation-threatened Bristol City will all but guarantee their place in the end-of-season lottery.

Birmingham's home form has been particularly impressive, losing just the once at St Andrews all season - and that was a freak result as it was a defeat to a then bang out of form Nottingham Forest side.

Bristol City themselves have hit a bit of form, but that just helps the price on a home victory so I'm happy about that. Having said that, this is definitely the time of the season when bet stakes are reduced because, quite literally, anyone can beat anyone in this division as clubs fight for survival/promotion/play-off places etc. Derek McInnes' side are unbeaten in four but they have won just the one away game in 2012 and they'll be hard pushed to make it two in Birmingham.

Back Birmingham HT/Birmingham FT @ [2.34]

Doncaster v Portsmouth, KO: Saturday 15:00, Match Odds: Doncaster [2.8], Portsmouth [2.64], The Draw [3.5]

If Portsmouth are drinking in the last chance saloon on Saturday then Doncaster can't even get a job collecting glasses in it. The likelihood is that both clubs will be visiting League One bars next season however, and in all probability that will be confirmed come the conclusion of this game.

A draw suits no-one, and this is very much in my thinking for offering Over 2.5 Goals as a selection. Neither Donny or Pompey are renowned for scoring goals, but neither will want to go down without a fight, especially Doncaster in front of their own fans, and Portsmouth because they know that a victory will still give them a tiny chance of avoiding the drop.

And on a plus side for the recommended wager, Donny have scored at least one goal in seven of their last eight home games, whilst both their and Pompey's last six league games have averaged at least three goals being scored. So sit back and enjoy two sides go hammer and tongs at each other as they both strive to find the goals that might help them avoid being evicted from the Championship saloon - on Saturday at least.

Back Over 2.5 Goals @ [2.3]

Watford v Hull, KO: Saturday 15:00, Match Odds: Watford [2.46], Hull [3.3], The Draw [3.4]

Watford at [2.46] looks pretty much the most appealing price of the day in the Championship. The Hornets have a tiny chance of reaching the play-offs, and I'm a firm believer in that whilst their's a chance then everyone will still be giving 100%. Of course, players should be giving 100% all the time, but if this was an end-of-season game with nothing to play for then it would make no appeal whatsoever from a betting perspective. That isn't the case here.

The main reason for backing Watford is their good form and Hull's not-so-good form. That might seem strange given Sean Dyche's men failed to win last time out whilst the Tigers beat play-off contenders Middlesbrough, but form goes back more than just one game in this division.

Watford went on an unbeaten run of seven from the beginning of March, winning five of those games, and there was no shame in losing to Blackpool - the Hornets' only defeat in nine games - last time they played on home soil. Hull on the other hand lost five games on the bounce prior to last week's victory, and in that time they managed to score just one goal. A last minute winner against out-of-form Boro was ok, but it doesn't exactly signal they are rampant again. Back Watford to win.

Back Watford @ [2.46]

'.$sign_up['title'].'

'; } } ?>

:

:

:

?

: