League Two Tips: Colchester can fly with Jay

• Fresh faces key for Colchester

• Hartlepool are over-priced

• Leaders to be held

New recruits can help U's climb

Rochdale 2.35/4 v Colchester 3.412/5; the draw 3.55/2

The teams at the bottom usually start winning at this time of year - and Colchester have done so with a flourish.

They have also penned five new signings, including an absolute coup in Exeter City captain Matt Jay.

He scored 16 goals last season as the Grecians earned promotion. However, he has found game time limited this season. Regardless of their 3-1 win at Harrogate - the first time they have scored three away goals in a game since March - a forward was just what Matt Bloomfield needed.

The manager said one of Saturday's goalscorers, John Akinde, had been absolutely brilliant since returning from injury. With right-back Junior Tchamadeu also scoring twice in four games, the U's might start to rise up to safety pretty fast.

Fourth from bottom, they already have a four-point gap to the relegation zone and 23rd place, which Rochdale occupied until a surprise 2-1 win at Bradford on Tuesday. Winning a third consecutive away game for the first time since 2008 (say Opta) suddenly looks a possibility, especially because Rochdale haven't won in four at home and have just three wins in 13 (Opta again).

Jim Bentley was been really pleased with consecutive draws to end a losing streak before Tuesday, but as striker Scott Quigley admits they need new faces to avoid relegation.

At a previous club, Barrow, he remembers that 10 new faces arrived in January and sorted them out. Can Dale afford that? Regardless, Quigley reports that the Board believe Bentley - and his record of keeping Morecambe up - is the right man to help them stay in the division.

After Tuesday's Rochdale surprise, anything could happen, but I believe Colchester have the momentum and a new face in Jay who will be spring loaded to make an instant great impression.

Hartlepool are on a roll

Gillingham 2.26/5 v Hartlepool 3.814/5; the draw 3.412/5

How bad do the layers think Hartlepool are if Gillingham are favourites to beat them at Priestfield? The hosts are a surprising price, being close to evens.

Both sides went out of the FA Cup last weekend, Gillingham 1-0 to Leicester City and Hartlepool after conceding two own goals to lose 3-0 at Stoke. No disgraces losing to teams of that stature.

But what is odd here is that Neil Harris's side have scored once in 10 League Two matches. Four of their games this season have been goalless draws. Anyone backing them is hoping that Tom Nichols, signed from Crawley, will suddenly turn into Lionel Messi and win games on his own. Maybe Tim Deing's arrival from Exeter will make a difference, or Oli Hawkins' arrival from Mansfield.

Hartlepool, meanwhile, have been scoring goals - and winning away from home. They beat Rochdale and Crawley in their last two away games.

Neither of those teams were in great form, but Keith Curle's side scored twice each, plus once at home to Mansfield and three in a draw against Harrogate. Fair enough, Opta point out that they haven't won three on the bounce away since September 2011, but there are signs of improvement for this to be the time and the place.

New recruit Peter Hartley's experience, at 34, will be invaluable as he re-establishes himself at the club he left in 2013. Matty Dolan, another returning former player, 29, is another welcome face coming in on loan from Newport. The away win price is simply too big to ignore.

Barrow back on point

Leyton Orient 2.01/1 v Barrow 4.77/2; the draw 3.412/5

Never mind Rochdale boss Jim Bentley saying he wanted his side to build on their draw with Barrow recently, Barrow boss Pete Wild believes his Bluebirds are back on a confident track after a win at Mansfield. And why wouldn't that be true after battling back from 2-0 down? Opta say it is only the third time they have come from a deficit to win since they returned to the football league in 2020-21!

The Northerners had been off their game with three defeats and a draw in four before the Rochdale result after a very strong start to the season. Billy Waters found his scoring boots just before half-time last weekend and needs to be a more consistent scorer if his side are to realise their play-off dreams.

This trip to London will be a tough ask for Waters and Josh Gordon to score enough goals to win, but the O's have not been sweeping all before them. Losing to Northampton (who then lost in this topsy turvy league to Salford City) was preceded by draws with Newport and Stevenage.

There is a strong chance that the visitors will have to settle for a point (which will keep them in the top seven) against the likes of Paul Smyth (who has nine goals) and a plethora of players on four.

Goals could come from Theo Archibald, Charlie Kelman or George Moncur among others. Or they might not come for Richie Wellens' side at all. They have scored once in four games (Archibald).

Walsall worthy of a wager

Tranmere 2.68/5 v Walsall 3.39/4; the draw 3.39/4

Walsall are top of the six-game form table with one defeat in six, to Stockport who - ironically - they then defeated in the FA Cup. But there are already a few problems that come with that form table. The Saddlers have 13 points from six games - not overly many for a team top of it - and even and only five points separate the top 14 teams. The whole division is bunched up.

On top of that, Micky Flynn doesn't know whether the money from the FA Cup run will be reinvested to keep 11-goal Danny Johnson.

He is on loan from Mansfield but apparently out of range of Walsall's budget to keep longer. Maybe the cup run will change that.

Will he put in a great performance here, a day before his loan is up, or be a little reserved, knowing - or not - where his future lies? Midfielder Tom Knowles is the next top scorer with three, giving Flynn a real headache if he wants to turn some great recent form into a play-off push.

He's used to operating the loan market at Newport, but there was a big reason why the Exiles once led the division then fell out of the sky after January in the past.

In many ways they look a big price for the win, particularly as the hosts have not been that hot themselves recently. Opta point out Walsall have lost once in nine (winning six) while Tranmere have won twice in 12. Rovers are one of many teams on eight points from six matches, with two wins, one at home - and were held 2-2 by Sutton at home last weekend.

Striker Kane Hemmings might have three goals in four games, but Tranmere remain hit and miss. Managers will more form than boss Micky Mellon have fallen on their sword at Prenton Park.

The board there seemed to expect more in the past than mid-table mediocrity.

The rest of the team need to contribute more goals if Rovers were to move up the table. Walsall have won their last two away and drew the previous two on their travels before that. They could well win here, too.