The Championship Betting: Royals can win again but there'll be no joy at Palace

Championship / Andrew French / 12 March 2010 / Leave a Comment

Roy Keane’s Ipswich don’t lose often at Portman Road, but they need to start turning draws into wins if they want to secure Championship football next season

"Ipswich manager Roy Keane must wonder why it took so long, and also wish he could turn a few draws into wins. The Tractor Boys have shared the points 10 times at home this season, yet have lost just twice at Portman Road (only leaders Newcastle have suffered fewer home defeats)."

In his latest Championship preview, Andrew French is predicting Barnsley to ease past Crystal Palace, Reading to beat Bristol City, up and down Watford to bag three points, and Ipswich to heap more misery on Scunthorpe.

Ignore the almost obligatory 'welcome the new manager' victory, and Crystal Palace's recent form on the pitch has been as miserable as life off it at the financially-troubled Selhurst Park club. I don't see the gloom lifting this weekend and fancy Barnsley to bounce back from last week's mauling at Newcastle to beat the Eagles.

Barnsley's 6-1 stuffing at St James Park makes pretty grim reading, but given Newcastle have far and away the best home record in the division, there is a bit of mitigation. The Tykes have won three of their last four at home and their recent victories over promotion-chasing Cardiff and Blackpool show they are more a top-half side than a bottom-half one. Palace marked Paul Hart's first game in charge last weekend by beating Sheffield United - but the Blades are truly dire on the road (seven consecutive away league defeats), and the Eagles were beaten at home by Bristol City in midweek. Take last Saturday's win away, and the South London side are in danger of letting their points deduction suck them into serious trouble. Palace have lost four of their last six in the league, so at [2.46], Barnsley look the best bet of the day.

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If there were any fears that last weekend's FA Cup exit against Aston Villa would leave Reading with a hangover, then the midweek 4-1 win over Derby should have put minds to rest. True, Derby played the entire second half with Robbie Savage in goal after keeper Saul Deeney was sent off in the 41st minute - but the Royals were already 2-1 up by then. It was Reading's sixth victory in their last seven league outings - new boss Brian McDermott has lifted the side from the thick of the relegation mire to four points above the drop zone.

Visitors Bristol City won at Palace in midweek, but that ended a run of seven away games without a victory. I'd want more evidence of improved form on the road before I felt they could handle a Reading side that is flying. Therefore, back the Royals at [1.85].

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My fellow Watford fans and I have been through it all this season - almost to the brink of financial meltdown and back, coupled to some flirting with the play-off places and now an uncomfortable closeness to the relegation zone thrown in. Recent form is poor - one win is six. However, there are three factors that give me great confidence this weekend. First, on-loan Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley is available after a three-match suspension: the Hornets have won just one of the six games he has missed this season. Secondly, Watford are generally good at home: they have lost back-to-back games at Vicarage Road, but they were against Newcastle and Swansea, the two hardest-to-beat sides in the division. Thirdly, Peterborough are woeful on the road: no wins and 13 defeats in 17 games. At [1.78], I have to go with Watford.

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Two defeats in eight games is a decent run for a side that couldn't stop losing at the start of the season - Ipswich manager Roy Keane must wonder why it took so long, and also wish he could turn a few draws into wins. The Tractor Boys have shared the points 10 times at home this season, yet have lost just twice at Portman Road (only leaders Newcastle have suffered fewer home defeats). Visitors Scunthorpe have struggled on the road all season, and the 38 goals they have shipped in 17 games gives them the worst away defensive record in the division. They have lost their last three on their travels, and I'm backing Ipswich at [1.73] to extend that sequence.

*Andrew is showing a profit of approximately £264 (£10 level stake/liability) on all his selections so far this season