Good Friday's League One Tips: Rovers are running out of gas at the Mem

• Barnsley to keep title hopes going

• Can Dunc gain a second win?

• Charlton in scoring form ahead of Rovers

Tykes can maintain promotion charge

Burton Albion v Barnsley
Friday 7th April, kick-off 15:00

Sheffield Wednesday may be doing their bit for Yorkshire in League One, but Barnsley have been fairly clinical and efficient in their race to fourth in the table, and it's testament to the skills of manager Michael Duff they have been able to keep tabs on big spending Ipswich.

With nine wins from their last 11 games (and one draw), the Tykes are far from being ruled out as a title contender in the League One Winner Market.

In fact, there has been a sea change with the Tractor Boys now available to back as the favourites due to Wednesday's recent wobbles, and Barnsley are now 2.447/5.

Four of Barnsley's last five Football League games on Good Friday have been drawn (W1), including the only away game in that run last season in the Championship against Swansea (1-1), but a price of Evens this Friday looks more than fair, as I thought they would trade around the 4/6 mark.

Burton's home record is all over the place with W6 D5 L7, but they did earn a superb point away at in-form Cheltenham last weekend - keeping a clean sheet in a 0-0.

Devante Cole's double in December earned Barnsley a 2-0 win at Oakwell in the reverse fixture, but the game was very scrappy and Barnsley's keeper didn't have a shot to save in the second half.

I doubt it will be a similar Under 2.5 Goals affair for Friday, as Burton's Achilles' heel of conceding has resurfaced again as they shipped five against Peterborough, two against Port Vale and four at Ipswich.

Burton have lost only one of their last four Football League games against Barnsley (W2 D1), after failing to win any of their first five such meetings with the Tykes (D3 L2), but the Evens is too attractive in terms of a price to turn down for an in-form team.

And with Cole as a 9/5 price to Score Anytime on the Sportsbook, the Bet Builder to combine him and the away win pays out around 5/2. The away side's xA of 1.14 should guide us to a win to keep alive their automatic promotion hopes.

KEY OPTA STAT: Barnsley are looking to win successive games against Burton in the Football League for the first time, after winning 2-0 at Oakwell in December.

Backing the 10/1 Correct Score the way to go

Forest Green Rovers v Derby County
Friday 7th April, kick-off 15:00

Derby County's form is nowhere near what you'd expect at the moment, especially from a Paul Warne team. Although those with good League One memories will recall Rotherham's flying form coming to an abrupt halt at this stage last season. The Millers made it to the promised land eventually, it doesn't look likely with the Rams.

Warne's team have alarmingly slipped to seventh in the table and are one in win six with four losses. They have the superior squad, but the 4/7 price for an away win here looks rank bad value.

Forest Green finally got a win for Duncan Ferguson recently, and an unlikely one at that with a 1-0 success against Sheffield Wednesday. I'm still at a loss to explain that one.

Rovers are still seven points detached at the foot of the table, and while Ferguson has made them harder to break down - as seven of their last nine have hit the Under 2.5 Goals mark, I wonder when Big Dunc will throw the dice and gamble more. They cannot afford to draw too many.

Historically, Derby have lost only one of their last 10 Football League games against newly promoted sides (W8 D1), including wins in each of their previous three such games, netting 10 goals in total, but it still doesn't remove me from my gut instinct here to take them on.

Of course, it's a laying price and a cheap one, but there could be some value in backing the draw for this, and a low-scoring one too.

The Rams have failed to score in their last three, and Rovers possess an appalling xG of 0.93 at home this term and have scored just 13 goals in 19 games.

I'm tempted to go with the Correct Score play on the 0-0, and there's plenty of scope from the 11.521/2 price to trade out for your stake back. In their last three matches, Rovers have conceded just once in the first-half, and getting to 35 minutes without a goal is a strong option.

KEY OPTA STAT: The only previous Football League meeting between Forest Green and Derby was a 4-0 win for the Rams in December, with David McGoldrick netting a hat-trick.

Mem form for Rovers a big worry

Bristol Rovers v Charlton Athletic
Friday 7th April, kick-off 15:00

I should insert a caveat with any Charlton bet, as this season they have been maddening to predict. It's why mid-table comforts greet them again, and their record has an almost perfect symmetry both home and away. They win some, they lose some and they draw some. Away it's W6 D6 L7.

Quite where last weekend's 6-0 thumping of Shrewsbury came from I will never know, it was the first time they had scored six at home since the 1970s.

Miles Leaburn netted twice for the Addicks, and 12 from 34 this season is a fine return for a promising young forward. His dad once picked up a TV from Rumbelows for wining a man of the match award back in the 90s, and Miles should be gaining a few more.

Charlton showed how they are better with getting the ball forward quickly last weekend, and two came from the high press when they lost the ball and regained it back. Two also came from set-pieces.

Rovers have a poor pitch, and it's hindering the way Joey Barton likes to play. They have lost eight and conceded 30 at the Mem, and while the Addicks are unpredictable, they did score four at Morecambe recently and should be worth a goal on Friday.

The Londoners are unbeaten in their last five trips to Bristol Rovers in the Football League (W2 D3), winning 1-0 on their previous visit in January 2021, and I am happy to play on the Addicks to win at 17/10.

The Gas lost to Pompey recently and it was their seventh straight home game without a win, in all competitions, and they are in danger of going into freefall.

Bristol Rovers are winless in their last six home league games (D2 L4), failing to score on five of those occasions - only Forest Green (4) and Oxford (3) have picked up fewer home points in League One in 2023 than them (5) and I'll be opposing them.

KEY OPTA STAT: Charlton are unbeaten in their last five trips to Bristol Rovers in the Football League (W2 D3), winning 1-0 on their previous visit in January 2021.