The French Connection - Preston, Doncaster and Grimsby can all win

The French Connection / Andrew French / 19 March 2008 / Leave a Comment

It was looking gloomy for Preston when Alan Irvine became manager in mid-November, but he has steered North End to the brink of safety - and their rock-solid home form makes them the first leg of this week's treble.

Irvine joined a club which was in the thick of a relegation battle and there was no immediate impact as his first three games in charge ended in defeat. However, since the turn of the year they have been heading in the right direction, with their results at Deepdale underpinning their charge to safety.

They have won five of their last six home league games, beating the likes of Watford, West Brom and Stoke in that run. Back-to-back away successes have seen Preston compile a sequence of just one defeat in seven, and with only a few weeks of the season left, they are now in a position to secure their own safety.

I believe they will collect another three points this weekend against an erratic Burnley side whose promotion hopes are fading. The Clarets have won just once in their last five outings, and their previously strong away form has deserted them of late, with just one point taken from the last three road trips.

Preston have beaten Burnley on four of the last five occasions they have visited Deepdale, and I'm backing them at [2.1] to extend that run.

Doncaster let the French Connection down last week, but I'm giving them another chance as they travel on Friday afternoon to face a Yeovil side in the thick of a miserable run.

The Glovers have won just one of their last six, and it's equally bad when you isolate their home performances, with the last seven games at Huish Park providing Yeovil with only two victories.

The key stat for Donny is that have only lost consecutive games once this season; generally, they are difficult to beat, so the signs are good for an immediate return to winning ways after defeat at Brighton last weekend.

With leaders Swansea stumbling a bit of late, there is still a chance Rovers could turn automatic promotion into going up as champions, so games such as this are essential if they are to apply some pressure to the League One leaders.

Prior to that defeat at the Withdean, Donny had won five out of six on the road - and I feel the long trip to the south-west will be a happy one. I'm backing them at [2.04].

It must have been pretty miserable to be a Mansfield Town season ticket holder this term, and I feel it will be another glum Saturday night around Field Mill this weekend.

The Stags' home form is the reason they are next to bottom of League Two and staring a drop into the Conference in the face. Played 18 at home, lost 12. Teams with records like that generally struggle!

Mansfield are currently on a run of nine home league matches without a win, during which time they have scored a paltry six goals and conceded 23.

Any team with some half-decent away form will surely capitalise: step forward Grimsby Town. The Mariners have lost only one of their last 11 away league outings, and have taken eight points from their last five trips.

Available at [2.34] to back, Grimsby complete the treble.

So, this week's French Connection is backing in Preston (at [2.1]), Doncaster (at [2.04]) and Grimsby (at [2.34]) in a treble that should pay around the [10.0] mark.