League Two Tips: Back a draw at Carlisle

• Cumbrians face close-fought clash

• Harris' team on a high

• O's could stunt Stockport

Stalemate between playoff pair

Carlisle 2.47/5 v Salford 3.39/4; the draw 3.613/5

Neil Wood says his Salford side never give up and that he was not surprised they came back to win - very late - at Walsall last Saturday, 3-2. These things usually happen once a season, he said, but he argued they had done it before, at AFC Wimbledon.

The Ammies certainly can score in abundance: three goals in each of their first four games in March ended with a 3-1 win at Stevenage. They scored late twice to win, through Callum Hendry and Matt Smith, and won 5-2 at Mansfield previously. Both those teams are chasing promotion, like Carlisle.

However, the Cumbrians are likely to prove even stiffer opposition for other attackers in form, such as Matt Lund and Conor McAleny. They are not ones for big-scoring results.

A 2-2 draw with fellow promotion chasers Stockport, 10 days ago, seems an anomaly. Only four of their past 16 games have featured over 2.5 goals. In nine of those they have kept a clean sheet. And in nine they have not scored.

Opta point out that they are unbeaten in six at home, with clean sheets in five.

Kristian Dennis (19) has not been nearly as prolific in 2023 (7) as in the first half of the season. Defender Ben Barclay's strike against Barrow last weekend was his first League Two goal of the season. Scoring doesn't seem to come easy.

This could be a right battle. Paul Simpson's hosts have only three defeats at home, while the visitors have seven away. There are just three points between them. They could yet meet each other in the playoffs. A draw might satisfy both teams with a game to go.

Gills gearing up for next season

Gillingham 2.47/5 v Newport 3.55/2; the draw 3.211/5

It would be very brave to comment on just all the games with something riding on them, so as we Countdown to the end of season conundrum, here's "one from the middle".

Neil Harris has to be looking at promotion for next season, if the improvement from January is anything to go by, just like Stevenage have done since Steve Evans came in to rescue them last season. Unlike Evans, however, Harris is not likely to make any such noises publicly.

The Gills will have to improve their away form, but at home their points tally is among the best in the division, even if their goal difference is just +2. Opta point out they have won nine of their past 11 at home.

Harris felt they should have had three or four goals at Bradford, before drawing in the final minute through Oli Hawkins. Perhaps they need another striker to score alongside Tom Nichols, who has five since arriving from Crawley in January.

In recent weeks at the Priestfield Stadium they have beaten Leyton Orient (prolonging their title triumph), and Carlisle, plus drawn with Stockport, all of whom are going for promotion. Five wins and a draw from six at home spell trouble for Newport, even though they won 3-1 at Doncaster last weekend.

Graham Coughlan's side are decent away - seven wins and eight draws - and Aaron Wildig will fancy his chances of scoring in a third match in a row. However, if the season had started on January 1 and Gillingham at this moment had a chance of a top seven place, they would be odds-on. Take advantage of the price.

Stockport can't afford to lose - O's won't want to

Leyton Orient 4.3100/30 v Stockport 2.111/10; the draw 3.412/5

Stockport now have far more urgency for points than champions Leyton Orient - and the benefit of an 11-game unbeaten run as they head to the final two games. Opta add they have lost once in 18.

There is still a chance that they or Carlisle could steal third place from Stevenage. Orient will want to continue celebrating, but Dave Challinor's side have five wins in their unbeaten run, three away. They have scored in their past nine games, with nine different scorers of 13 goals, meaning that opponents can't really know which wave will hit them next.

Connor Lemonheigh-Evans has suddenly found his stride with a couple of goals in that period, as has Jack Stretton. Orient will probably be more worried about Kyle Wooton or Paddy Madden, but will they now have the same intensity after finally clinching the title?

To an extent, some will be mindful their contracts might be up or that they are now being assessed to keep their squad places for a spell in League One. It would be the highest level that Ruel Sotiriou had ever played, for example. Having spent much of his apprenticeship on loan in non-league, he would be thrilled.

Midfielder George Moncur would love another goal to take his season's tally to 10, to match Paul Smyth. Ultimately, perhaps the O's need a 15-a-season striker to be a success at the next level.

There's one fly in the ointment of a possible away win, however: the only time Orient have lost at home this season was in October.

I'm not sure the visitors have a clean sheet record robust enough to indicate they can inflict a second. They will not want a defeat however, so they could play with a sufficient degree of caution - rather than gungho - that could result in a draw.

Crawley starting to roll at home

Crawley Town 2.3411/8 v Walsall 3.711/4; the draw 3.39/4

Crawley might be feeling a little more relaxed now they have practically cemented Hartlepool's place in the final relegation berth, having beaten them with a rare away win last Saturday. As well as a six point advantage with two games left, they are six goals clear.

Scott Lindsey will no doubt ram home they need another win (well, a point, but no manager starts off looking for that) to secure League Two football for certain. They should be relaxed and if they did against Tranmere at the Broadfield two Saturdays ago, they could well beat Walsall.

Several scorers are emerging around Dom Telford and Ashley Nadesan, such as Aramide Oteh and Jack Powell. They might not have broken down Colchester in their last home game, but the U's were equally desperate for points.

The Saddlers just have a point to prove for Mat Sadler, the interim manager after Micky Flynn's sacking.

They started to prove their point last week by equalising twice against promotion-hunting Salford, only to suffer defeat late in stoppage time. Midfielder Isaac Hutchinson and forward Tom Knowles have not been able to fill the gap left by loanee Danny Johnson's return to Mansfield in January.

The visitors could also play with a certain freedom and energy that might produce over 2.5 goals. However, a string of games without scoring (11 out of the past 20) doesn't give much confidence in that at 2.35/4.

I'm sticking with a home win, especially as Opta are keen to point out they are seen unbeaten at home (winning three), their longest run since going 14 without loss between December 2019 and October 2020.