The French Connection / Andrew French / 24 April 2009 / Leave a comment

There are a couple of classic 'mid-table' end-of-season games in the Championship this weekend, the sort of fixtures where you can almost be certain Sky Sports won't bother to send an ex-pro to sit in front of a camera, such is their relative insignificance.

One such match is Coventry v Watford: the Sky Blues are playing merely for league position while the Hornets need a point to be mathematically safe from the drop, although it would take a freakish set of results to send them down.

Coventry haven't won in six games, Watford have managed just a single victory in eight. Neither is ending the season with a flourish, and both have been eking out draws: the Sky Blues have finished all square in four of their last six, the Hornets one less over the same period.

It all points to another stalemate this weekend, and so I'm opening up the treble by backing a draw in this one at [3.26].

In League One, I cannot ignore a team in form, especially when their excellent run has been driven by their need for points to survive.

Brighton were looking in all sorts of bother only a few weeks ago, but recently-appointed boss Russell Slade has galvanised the Seagulls and they have won four of their last five, including a 2-1 victory at Bristol Rovers on Tuesday night, their third consecutive away win.

Mathematically Huddersfield can still catch sixth-placed Tranmere, but with a massively inferior goal difference they would need two extremely good results - and even then Scunthorpe and Southend, who sit between the two, may have something to say in the matter.

In short, the Terriers are merely playing out their last couple of games - but it's very different for Brighton, who know victory could guarantee their safety, and so I'm backing them to win at [2.62].

In League Two, last week's win at Rotherham means Shrewsbury's play-off hopes in their own hands. They may sit one place outside the play-off places at the moment, but with a trip to sixth-placed Dagenham and Redbridge on the final day of the season, they know that two victories means they will participate in the end-of-season promotion deciders.
However, before they can think about beating the Daggers, they must win their final home game this weekend against Lincoln. The Imps have nothing to play for, and that has been reflected in results in recent weeks: no wins and two goals in their last four games.

Shrewsbury's push for promotion has been built around home wins: their 14 so far is the best in the division. They can't afford to slip up in this one, so back them at [1.51].