League Two Tips: Back Hill to keep Tranmere climbing

Robust Rovers can hold off Valiants

Tranmere Rovers 2.26/5 v Port Vale 3.55/2; the draw 3.711/4

Predicting outcomes in League Two remains as tricky as ever. For example, Tranmere's excellent run should make them odds-on, on form. Four straight wins, and two draws, put them fourth in a six-game form table.

But Port Vale have just won 5-1, giving them huge confidence, and there are strong hints that Danny Pugh interim time as manager is up and that a new boss will be in place by Saturday. David Flitcroft and John McGreal's names have been mentioned, among others, to become the Valiants' fifth manager in four years.

A new boss will give all the players renewed purpose, not just recent loan recruits Mustapha Olagunju (a centre-back from Huddersfield) and Will Swan (a Nottingham Forest striker).

Devante Rodney has begun to find real potency in front of goal, with four of his nine strikes this season coming in his past five appearances. He is someone Keith Hill's men will have to stop.

For whatever reason, Rovers have conceded in each of their last three home games - giving Port Vale further optimism perhaps - but won them all. The fans, had they been let in, would surely have enjoyed the spectacle.

They would love to assess for themselves the great qualities which Hill says Crystal Palace midfielder Nya Kirby will bring on loan. They will be intrigued to see how he will combine with experienced Ali Crawford, another midfielder, brought in from Bolton. Midfield, said Hill, was an area they needed to strengthen. And how much will the former England striker David Nugent, 35, add up front? Kaiyne Woolery will be in no mood to relinquish his place, having enjoyed a run of starts under a manager appointed in November. James Vaughan's place seems secure, having struck 14 goals this season, including five times in the last eight games.

Tranmere have a strong home record, with seven home wins and goal difference of +5. They have also risen to be able to sniff the top three. Momentum is the everything that can give them another victory. Opta offer the key statistic that Port Vale have not won in five away games (two draws) and have failed to score in three of them.

Reds need to find way out of slump

Crawley 2.68/5 v Harrogate 3.02/1; the draw 3.412/5

Sluggish. Offering no threat. Those were words used on social media by Crawley fans after their 3-1 defeat at leaders Cambridge United last Saturday. Yet after the team equalised at 1-1, the build up to Jake Hessenthaler's first goal for the club was praised as "liquid football" and a "quality finish".

It's been a busy few weeks for the Red Devils. But the FA Cup run is over now. The euphoria of beating Leeds United - a first win over a Premier League club in the competition - is over. Defeat to Bournemouth in the next round burst the bubble good and proper.

Then Tuesday's goalless draw with Leyton Orient drew a reaction from manager John Yems of "not good enough". How much Max Watters' reported £1m exit to Cardiff affected the squad? They now have to pick themselves up and fully embed new recruits Josh Wright, Davide Rodari and James Tilley and experienced midfielder Jordan Maguire-Drew. They can only hope that Mustafa Huessin, 20, signed on Thursday as a free agent, can only prove a similar gem from non-league as Watters did. The latter netted 13 times since his first game in October.

The technical director, Erdem Konyar, is excited about the squad's potential. Yems says the Crawley Town journey is only just beginning. A few new faces and a few exits - striker Nathan Ferguson and defender Josh Doherty among them, should just represent evolution.

Crawley have a strong home record on which to build. Up to November they went a dozen games unbeaten at the Broadfield. And this season they have won five, drawn three and lost just two, with a +8 goal difference.

The draw with Leyton Orient (who had 10 men for an hour) was a grind on keeper Glenn Morris's 200th appearance. When the Reds are on their game they can beat anyone, he claims.

Having been a huge part of their successes, Morris will know he has to keep Harrogate's Jack Muldoon at bay. Fellow strikers Aaron Smith and Josh March now have Birmingham loanee Josh Andrews - a 6ft 3in powerhouse - as a rival for a starting position.

The Sulphurites made seven signings in January, including March from Forest Green. Simon Weaver is making noises about having everyone fit. With six away wins they are sure to cause problems. Having beaten Newport last week - when Exiles boss Mike Flynn said they did the "horrible things well" - they will be confident. But Crawley need to find their feet again, especially if they want to push for the play-offs. Perhaps Opta offer the key statistics that Harrogate have managed just one clean sheet in 11 games on the road. If Crawley score once, I feel they will regain confidence very quickly.

Experience clearly key for Cambridge

Barrow 2.89/5 v Cambridge 2.915/8; the draw 3.412/5

Cambridge have been top for a couple of weeks now and haven't started losing, which often happens to 'new' leaders. Mark Bonner also believes they have come out of the transfer window well covered in all areas. That includes goalkeeper, where Callum Burton is already well integrated with the team, in place of the now injured Dimitar Mitov, whose operation on a dislocated shoulder is likely to keep him out for the rest of the season.

The Cambridge boss has been canny since his appointment, when the U's were at the other end of the table. He brought in experienced players such as Paul Mullin, age 26, whose 18 goals indicate he could surely still do a decent job in League One, and Wes Hoolahan, a 38-year-old whose experience, enthusiasm and inspirational performances are a guide to any youngster. It's a huge plus when two strikers can reach double figures - especially by February - and Joe Ironside is also enjoying Cambridge's success with 10 goals.

The recruitment of left-sided defender Aji Alese, from West Ham, and Declan Drysdale, from Coventry, follow a pattern. Bonner has deliberately targeted young players who have decent exposure not at League Two level, but the one above. Right now, sitting in a promotion position, perhaps he can afford to go for such quality.

Undefeated in six matches, winning four, the U's have only failed to score in one.

Barrow might be on the mend, but the process is more gradual. Maybe this time next year, the Bluebirds might find that new manager Michael Jolley's influence takes them to the top, as Bonner has done at Cambridge and Chris Beech has done at Carlisle. Maybe.

Two wins in his five games have been hard earned, at Port Vale on Boxing Day and at home to Scunthorpe a couple of weeks ago. Several new faces have had more time on the training pitch than matches to bed in, because of postponements. Scott Quigley hasn't fired in as frequently as he did in the National League, but believes Jolley can bring his game on. Mikael Ndjoli, who once scored 20 goals for Millwall in 24 games, has been recruited alongside him up front - one of nine to sign for the club in January.

There was plenty to be positive about in the defeat to Bradford last weekend, said Jolley, whose side's upcoming fixtures are against Exeter, Forest Green and Morecambe. Tough times. Cambridge, now with Forest Green breathing down their necks level on point in second, should be able to find the experience to win, even if - as Opta point out - the hosts have only lost twice at home this season. Seven of them were draws, so Cambridge must up be at their best to win.

Forest Green can take point at flying Stags

Mansfield 2.3611/8 v Forest Green 3.412/5; the draw 3.55/2

What might have seemed like a nice breather to recuperate has now turned into a two-week gap for Mansfield, in a hectic season where rivals are match sharp. Is that too long a break for them to build on the momentum of five straight wins? Opta say they haven't won more in a row since October 1991, when they won seven.

They are now up against a team looking to win three straight away league games for the first time since November 2019 and who won at in-form Carlisle on Tuesday, replacing their hosts in second.

Stags boss Nigel Clough says Ollie Sarkin will provide a good option across the "top three", striker positions. If it seems strange to let a player of Nicky Maynard's experience and quality go (to Newport), the 34-year-old had not been gaining game time under Clough, who added that the midfielder would have a chance to earn a further contract in Wales with his new club. Clearly, Clough was looking beyond him for next season. George Lapslie, for example, who has turned his loan into a permanent move.

Jamie Reid has impressed in recent matches, finding goals in consecutive games, as Clough builds for the future.

Forest Green have had the chance now to bed in players such as defender Baily Cargill, from MK Dons, and Charlton's Josh Davison. The interruptions of losing Liam Kitching and Carl Winchester have been overcome, if climbing to second place is any guide.

Mansfield have won just twice at home, drawing six. Forest Green have won seven on their travels, adding four draws that give them League Two's best away record. They average scoring just under twice and conceding just under once, away. They can dent Mansfield's winning bubble, probably with a draw.