League Two Midweek Tips: Red Devils to win again

• Lindsey's men have focus

• Carlisle frustrate Simpson

• Bantams can still make top three

Lowly Reds showing fight at home

Crawley 3.211/5 v Colchester 2.68/5; the draw 3.412/5

If Crawley had performed like they did on Saturday since the turn of the year, they wouldn't be on their fourth manager of the season, or worrying about relegation. A comfortable mid-table finish would have been sewn up by now.

Keeper Corey Addai's early howler, a slip just outside his penalty area, leading to Tranmere's goal after eight minutes, proved a real spark - but Scott Lindsey's side knew anyway that nothing but a win would do.

A stunning strike by Aramide Oteh and a rare one by midfield engine Jack Powell got them back in it - and Addai redeemed himself with a penalty save.

The Red Devils have plenty of industry with Kellan Gordon down the right from the defence and Ben Gladwin in the middle to cause teams problems, even if they need to feed Ashley Nadesan more to get the best from him and centre-forward Dom Telford.

Having started the season badly, the Sussex club are used to the battle against relegation, while Colchester have been struggling much of the season too. A victory at Salford on Saturday proved they want to stay up more than their inconsistent hosts want promotion!

The U's needed the win, which doesn't quite put them clear of the relegation zone but gives them a six-point gap to Hartlepool. Boss Ben Garner has only sampled defeat once with the Essex side, at Stockport in his first game. They drew the next four and then smacked Crewe 4-0 before Noah Chilvers scored a fourth goal in six games to earn victory in Greater Manchester. Six away wins equals the best of the teams in the bottom 11 of League Two.

Crawley's need for victory is that bit more urgent now (they are four points behind their visitors) and one more at the Broadfield Stadium would give them the same number at home as fourth-placed Stockport (10), showing how well they have done at home where they have picked up 23 of their 41 points. Their away form has let them down.

We must bear in mind that Tranmere, in losing to Crawley, had nothing to play for in mid-table and Colchester still need a few points.

However, Lindsey said he had never seen the Reds as focused as they were going into the Tranmere match. With tough matches coming up, they know this game presents a great chance of points to keep them out of the bottom two.

With some key personnel back from injury they might just have the renewed confidence to win.

Bantams still capable of top three

Swindon 3.412/5 v Bradford 2.35/4; the draw 3.55/2

A few media outlets were too quick to think (wrongly) that Leyton Orient were promoted on Saturday. The fly in the ointment was sixth-placed Bradford, who - as well as Northampton and Stevenage - could still earn more points than the leaders. The Bantams could certainly still grab a top three spot themselves.

Another victory and fine win at disconsolate Swindon - one of several clubs in League Two whose season has just fizzled out - would give them every chance of an automatic promotion place.

The Bantams have the form, whereas the Robins have four points - all draws - in their last nine games.

Charlie Austin's quadruple the other week shows they can score, but they blew a 3-1 lead in the process - and that was at bottom club Rochdale. Rushian Hepburn-Murphy has twice given them early leads in subsequent games, but they have since not scored in two matches.

Mark Hughes' visitors, meanwhile, might have thrown in three goalless draws in an unbeaten 11-game run, but their total seven clean sheets has come with 17 goals and only six against. They have netted three times in three of their past four matches and were disappointed not to win an ill-tempered, goalless game at Crawley.

Scott Banks has scored three in the past nine games, taking some of the pressure off Andy Cook, whose eight strikes in the same period has taken his season's tally to 24. Points wise away from home, the Yorkshire side top the stats, jointly with leaders Orient (36).

Harrogate need a point

Harrogate 2.68/5 v Walsall 3.185/40; the draw 3.412/5

As ever, knowing that 30% of League Two games end in draws, it is easy to see possibilities of them everywhere. No more so than at Weatherby Road, where Simon Weaver's side have just gathered a point for the fourth game in a row. All of them scoring ones, too.

The Sulphurites - who still need a few points to be certain of staying in the division - have 15 in total (nine in their last 13 games) but that's nothing compared to Walsall, whose manager Micky Flynn is sick of them drawing. They have 18, split equally home and away.

Worse, Walsall have a perfect pattern of recent results to suggest another. They have drawn every other game in their last 12 (the first of them completing a run of six straight draws) which, having lost at Crewe on Saturday, points to another game finishing level pegging.

Scorers Isaac Hutchinson and Tom Knowles have done what they can to attempt to keep up the Saddlers' momentum, but Danny Johnson's return to Mansfield in January has really hit them, especially away it seems. They have only taken three wins on their travels.

Harrogate came from two goals down against Doncaster at the weekend to earn a point, Luke Armstrong notching a third goal in four games to take his season's tally to 15. At the back, Tom Eastman's experience should be seeing the hosts through the season, but it could now be a tight one to stay up. A draw will help before tough trips to Northampton and Mansfield. They will hope Rochdale will be relegated before their clash on the final day.

Promotion chasers likely to finish level

Carlisle 3.185/40 v Stockport 2.56/4; the draw 3.39/4

"Take off the shackles" is manager Paul Simpson's call to his Carlisle side, particularly in front of goal, after yet another goalless return against Northampton.

The hosts have played out four goalless draws and drawn a blank in two others in their past seven games. Yet they remain firmly in the mix not just for a play-off place but possibly to sneak (back) into the top three. Simpson says the "blip" of not throwing the kitchen sink in search of victory has lasted 13 or so games.

Seven shots on target - and three off - could not reap a goal. Omari Patrick, Ben Barclay, Jon Mellish and others had chances. Kristian Dennis thought his shot had crossed the line. However at the other end they did manage to halt prolific Northampton striker Sam Hoskins - and Tomas Holy had a fine game in goal.

The Cobblers maintained second with another draw, against a tough side, despite 11 injuries. Stockport are not shouting about absent players. Boss Dave Challinor isn't bothered, either, about the "fluctuations" among the promotion contenders, until the Bank Holiday weekend in May by which time he wants County to have left no stone unturned to sit in the top three. Again.

One of their big rivals of course are Carlisle, so this fifth v fourth fixture is likely to be very tight.

Compared to Carlisle's barren efforts in front of goal, the Hatters have, at least, scored in each of their past six matches. Once only in five of them, but four at home to Newport.

Will Collar's 10th league goal this season earned Stockport a point from behind at Gillingham, who have become very strong at home. Kyle Wootton (14) and Paddy Madden (10) are also capable of netting, but with draws from an unbeaten eight and four in seven for the hosts, the pointers are to another that still leave both well placed for a strong push to finish the season.