Championship / Andrew French / 23 October 2009 / Leave a comment

It's fair to say that Scunthorpe United aren't the most consistent team in the Championship, but when they're hot they're hot, says Andrew French, and he fancies them to beat struggling Peterborough on Saturday.

"Nigel Adkins’ side really do blow hot and cold: they struggled at the start of the season, then comfortably beat Crystal Palace and Preston, before embarking on a four-game winless streak."

Their failure to win for the fourth successive game hit several punters in the pocket on Tuesday night (me included), but I will gladly give Newcastle another chance this weekend when they host Doncaster.

That United can take just two points from a possible 12 and still be joint top of the table only underlines what a crazy division The Championship is, and how much of a minefield it is for punters. But Newcastle, for me anyway, still remain a class above most of their rivals. They are still unbeaten at home and a trip to St James Park is daunting for nearly every other side in the division.

Doncaster ended a seven-game winless run by beating struggling Peterborough on Tuesday, but they are yet to win away and had Newcastle been in better form then they would surely be shorter than the [1.61] available to back, which I urge you to take.

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And while I am prepared to give Newcastle the opportunity to regain my faith, I am also backing the team that shocked them on Tuesday night - Scunthorpe - to build on that most impressive result. Nigel Adkins' side really do blow hot and cold: they struggled at the start of the season, then comfortably beat Crystal Palace and Preston, before embarking on a four-game winless streak.

However, Tuesday's win over Newcastle followed a fine 3-1 success over Sheffield United. Admittedly their away record does not read well, but a trip to face Peterborough is not the most daunting of tasks. Posh have won only once at home and are currently on a run of five games without success. Therefore, back Scunny at [3.5].

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The axing of Gareth Southgate was, in some senses, quite predictable, but the timing eventually did come as quite a surprise. Recent results, particularly at home, had been poor, but the team are still in the top four and had won only a few hours before the axe fell. A later statement pointed towards falling attendance being a major factor.

Whatever the reasons, it's bound to see ripples move across the pond in the camp, and I believe Preston can be the beneficiaries. North End have been a shade inconsistent of late but they are hard to beat at Deepdale and showed they are in good heart by coming from behind to beat Sheffield Wednesday in midweek. At [2.66], I think Preston are worth a punt.

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I've said before that I like to follow a team in form in this division, so I am getting on the QPR bandwagon after they did the business again in midweek. Rangers have won four of their last six and whacked in 16 goals in the process. They are not such prolific scorers on the road, but that may not be a problem against a Derby side that has struggled in recent weeks: just one win in four games. Indeed, Derby have scored fewer goals in their last six games than any other side in the division. With QPR clearly on a roll, backing them at [2.7] ought to give you a good run for your money.

* Andrew is showing a profit of approximately £138 (£10 level stake/liability) on all his selections so far this season

Tags: Doncaster, Gareth Southgate, Newcastle United, Nigel Adkins, Peterborough, QPR, Scunthorpe United, The Championship, The Championship Betting