League Two Tips: Walsall to clock up another draw

• Barrow in no mood to lose

• Newport capable of blunting Salford

• Bradford need home confidence

Saddlers edging towards draw records

Walsall 2.47/5 v Barrow 3.814/5; the draw 3.39/4

It is nearly 21 years since a League Two side drew seven games in a row (Bournemouth, August 2002). I had been wondering, but Opta provided the answer after Walsall made it six in a row when being ensnared by Hartlepool's abilities to draw themselves out of trouble (three times in five games have Pools now come from two goals down to take a point).

More than a decade ago, I believe Woking drew nine of their final 10 games to retain their place in the top tier of non-league. The record in England's top four divisions is eight in a row, held by seven clubs including one from the fourth tier - Peterborough in 1971-72.

Walsall boss Michael Flynn can shout that his players need to "fight for their shirts" for the rest of the season all he likes. But he knows that turning just a few of those last seven draws in eight games into wins would have put them in the play-off positions.

The Saddlers, he said, should have been "out of sight" against Hartlepool before individual errors cost them - Hayden White, Liam Kinsella and Donerven Daniels coming in for particular blame afterwards.

Isaac Hutchinson will feel frustrated having done as much as anybody - scoring twice in three games - to give Walsall chances of winning. Matty Stevens should prove a cute signing, alongside his fellow former Forest Green striker Jamille Matt. How well did those two team up to gain Rovers promotion?

Barrow's minimalist approach to goals in the past six games and their own penchant for draws suggests another is very possible here. In four of their past six games, only one of the two sides has scored, Josh Kay netting both to give them consecutive wins, after losing two. The other two matches finished 1-1.

Ben Whitfield earned them a draw at Colchester to start that run of the last six games, and they have three more draws in their last 12 games in total. If they can keep it tight they know they have a chance of a point - and even have a chance of one it seems if they are 2-0 down!

Gillingham have a strong chance

Harrogate 3.185/40 v Gillingham 2.77/4; the draw 3.412/5

Opta stats alone point to Gillingham continuing their fine run since new owners came along and enabled Neil Harris to bring in two thirds of a new team in January.

The Kent club have scored five goals in their past three away games (W1 D1 L1), which was as many goals as they scored in their first 13 matches of the season. They could win successive away games for the first time since March 2022. Furthermore, Opta say, Harrogate haven't won any of their last five home games on a Saturday - since last November. They did, however, win on Boxing Day (a Monday) at home against Grimsby.

Luke Armstrong scored twice that day, in a 3-2 win. He has scored three times in the 12 games since, taking his tally to 10 for the Sulphurites this season. However Simon Weaver's side have only won once in that time, scoring 11 and conceding 18. Form like that has led to stories such as striker Jack Muldoon saying he is determined to keep them up and had no intention, when signing a new deal, of the Yorkshire side playing in non-league again next season.

By contrast, Gillingham's form has seen them climb above their hosts to fifth from bottom, having won six and drawn one of their past eight before defeat at home on Tuesday to Bradford. Maybe that gulf to a team on the fringe of the play-offs was a step up too far.

Oli Hawkins and George Lapslie have already scored twice each since their arrival in the winter window, while Tom Nichols has bagged three. The price on the away win, given the statistics, seems too big.

Bantams to Cook up a home win

Bradford City 1.910/11 v Colchester 4.94/1; the draw 3.613/5

Bradford are frustrating at home, perhaps because a packed Valley Parade expects so much of them and voices frustration at every stray pass They have won at home once in the last four, say Opta. So a local analyser suggested, when heaping praise on their free-flowing away form (three straight wins and a draw, and a League Two best of 30 points on their travels).

Surely, however, they have the desire to cement a top seven spot by finding enough chances for 20-goal (in all competitions) striker Andy Cook to put Colchester to the sword? The trouble is, they are odds-on to do so, which means having to be a little creative to find a decent bet.

Mark Hughes admits the Bantams have to go "full pelt" to realise their promotion dreams, which defender Liam Ridehalgh insisted a week ago should be of the automatic variety. That was ambitious for a team then outside the playoffs, but since they have won twice. Doing so without conceding (three games out of four) has also enhanced Sam Stubbs' reputation in playing for teams who keep clean sheets, like when he was at Exeter.

With the home win, under 2.5 goals and both teams to score "no" each at odds-on, I fancy combining all three in a Bet Builder on Sportsbook at 3.44.

Colchester have done extremely well to weather the storm of boss Matt Bloomfield's exit to Wycombe, losing just 1-0 to top three chasing teams Northampton and Carlisle. They kept clean sheets against Walsall and Grimsby, neither of whom have been in fantastic form.

When you've scored once in our games - as Opta stress - expecting Noah Chilvers or Kwesi Appiah to add to their meagre tallies for the season is asking a lot against a team planning to aggressively attack the rest of the season.

Salford's form points to a draw

Salford City 2.3411/8 v Newport County 3.39/4; the draw 3.613/5

With so many teams odds-on to win this weekend, one might think that a punt on Salford City to win at home might be a good idea at 2.35/4. Afterall, Opta point out that Newport have lost the last three encounters between these two sides.

However, I think draw hunters might have some luck at the Peninsula Stadium. The sides flip flop in the six and 10-game form tables and have plenty of draws along the way.

One does wonder when Neil Wood's side will really start to fire. Yes, they sit seventh, but their consistency is hugely frustrating. They have won back-to-back games just three times this season. Yet they rarely fail to score (one blank in 16), netting regularly through Matt Lund, Ryan Watson or Matt Smith.

Opta suggest they have scored in their last eight home games, but won four and drawn two, losing two. Newport, they add, are unbeaten in three away, winning two, while keeping as many clean sheets (2) as they did in their first 13 on their travels.

Late goals (in the final 12 minutes) by Mickey Demetriou, Cameron Norman and Omar Bogle have earned them points in five of the last six games, so even if Salford do score they must be wary. What's more, the Exiles have three wins, three draws and one defeat from their last seven away. A level pegging finish seems entirely possible.