League Two Tips: Back Bluebirds to fly

• Wild's men in fine form

• Rochdale could muster a point

• Saddle up for a point at Walsall

Waters rising with Barrow

Barrow 2.35/4 v Tranmere 3.711/4; the draw 3.412/5

Barrow have a strong chance to make up for recent reverses and continue their playoff place push at home to Tranmere, whose promotion aspirations are looking threadbare.

The Bluebirds lost ground to promotion rivals Swindon after handing them a penalty and, effectively, victory on their return to action after a two-week snow break. A third defeat from four - all losses without scoring - was not how Pete Wild would have wanted to bounce back from the 5-0 mauling at Stevenage. At least they picked up a point at Salford on Boxing Day.

Seven-goal Billy Waters in particular has been in good spirits for the hosts, who had earned four wins from five, three of them by rattling in three goals. Striker Waters had five of them.

He feels he is now thriving in the EFL again, having dropped to non-league and almost quit the game at Torquay, before finding Wild happy to take him at Halifax, closer to his traditional home.

With Josh Kay banned for six games, the squad will have to be mindful of a reshuffle, but with Josh Gordon on 10 goals already they should be able to overcome Tranmere. Why? Simply on form. Despite drawing their last three away - and winning the previous three - I am convinced that Micky Mellon's men have something to find, because overall they have drawn five of their past nine games and won one of them. Was Boxing Day a turning point?

Before Monday, inexperienced Jake Burton and the more established Josh Hawkes are their only two goalscorers in the past six games. Yes, they have faced several in-form sides, but to shift from mid-table to promotion candidates they can't keep drawing. The hosts should have the edge.

Opta point to a draw: Barrow have drawn both final games of the year since returning to the EFL and Tranmere are unbeaten in their last four such games. However I think the hosts will be too strong.

Fitter Doncaster will still be held

Doncaster 2.26/5 v Rochdale 3.613/5; the draw 3.55/2

Danny Schofield says Doncaster are fitter under him since he took charge in mid-October. A great chance to prove that comes after a pre-Christmas enforced break. Results have been a mixed bag since his arrival: three wins, four defeats and a draw.

The manager will hope the unexpected layoff will have enabled his side to continue that fitness spree. With club captain Tommy Rowe back from a three-month injury layoff and slotting in at the back - even the left of a back three - can Rovers afford to look up?

Rowe says he is always learning, even at 34. He has been taking lots of notes in team meetings. How much he has focused on the forwards is a good question: George Miller seems out on his own goalscoring wise (nine before Boxing Day). The hosts must hope Harrison Biggins, who has found all three of his goals since the start of October, can continue to strike from midfield.

Rochdale keeper Richard O'Donnell says the squad is confident they can finish the festive period in a higher position than they start. They are "capable of more" he says. Manager Jim Bentley must be eyeing the transfer window for reinforcements.

Ian Henderson just wants chances to finish. Two goals for a season is his lowest return for a while. He scored three in a two-month loan spell for the Dale in 2013 and has a career average of a goal every four games. Battling for a point each could be the answer.

Away win in a game with at least three goals

Colchester 2.68/5 v AFC Wimbledon 2.915/8; the draw 3.412/5

AFC Wimbledon's nine-game unbeaten run includes four matches unbeaten away. They began the sequence at lowly Rochdale. So there seems little reason they should be the longer of the two outright win prices here.

Draws at Salford and Swindon, both teams with promotion ambitions, followed, either side of a 2-0 win at Tranmere, who would also love to consider themselves as playoff hopefuls.

Before Boxing Day, Johnnie Jackson's men had not conceded a goal in five games either. A more or less settled back five including keeper Nicola Tzanev has helped. The rigorous Ian Pell in midfield gives Ethan Chislett and Ayoub Assal or Josh Davison a great platform to attack.

Despite winning at Gillingham on Monday, Matt Bloomfield can't entirely regroup until he can bring in reinforcements in January. The U's will not be the easiest to break down at home, where they have lost just three times, the last in late September to Rochdale. Draws against Crawley and Stevenage followed, then a stunning 3-0 victory over Doncaster who are half decent away but have a negative goal difference.

I never quite understood why centre-back Tom Dallison left Crawley - who were progressing up League Two - for Essex. He will need to inspire his colleagues here against a team eyeing the top seven. Samson Tovide, 18, has surely earned another chance to start up front, where Kwesi Appiah needs support. The visitors are good value.

Opta say Colchester have lost their last three games against London sides, and add that Wimbledon have won the only match between the two, last October. It ended 2-1 and if you want the price on a repeat look to Sportsbook at 10.09/1.

Progressive sides to battle out draw

Walsall 3.412/5 v Stockport 2.3411/8; the draw 3.55/2

Stockport boss Dave Challinor probably wishes the season could have started in October. A poor run of results left the pre-season favourites - last term's Conference National winners - playing catch up.

They have lost just twice since drawing 1-1 with Walsall on October 1 and, over the next 10 games, sat third in the form table, one point behind the Saddlers. Therefore, if we are looking for a draw in the busiest fixture week of the year, this could well be it. A point each would keep teach side satisfied.

The return to last year's form has coincided with Paddy Madden scoring eight of his nine goals, Will Collar also has his four during that spell. Both busted the onion bag on Boxing Day.

Walsall boss Micky Flynn will be eying more than the point his team earned at the Hatters in October, because returns on their travels have been on the low side - two wins and four draws. He will be much more confident of three points at the Banks's Stadium, where five straight wins were accrued before Christmas. A goal return of 17 for and eight against also adds to indications that the 3.259/4 price compared to Stockport's 2.56/4 makes little sense. I'd have it as the reverse.

Opta stats might not agree with current form: Stockport have lost their five recent trips to Walsall, on aggregate 9-0. Their current squad should be able to stop the rot.

Danny Johnson is flourishing in front of goal as he did at Leyton Orient, netting 11 already. He'll look for Isaac Hutchinson or Tom Knowles to deflect attention away from him. There will be other chances for both to kick on towards the top seven after finishing level here. The layers have shortened the price on the draw - take the hint.