The French Connection / Andrew French / 15 February 2008 /

Every Friday Andrew French picks the best bet from each of the three divisions of the Football League and connects them into a Betfair multiple...

With so much attention on the FA Cup this weekend, the Football League programme may well slip under the radar - which means there could be some value to be had.

Starting in the Championship, undoubtedly the pick of the four games is at The Valley where two of the leading promotion contenders, Charlton and Watford, go head to head.

However, the team I am backing has almost crept up on the rails of the promotion battle and is now only two points off a play-off place.

Phil Brown has got Hull City moving, and they have lost just once in 10 league games - and that defeat came against West Brom, arguably the best team in the division.

At Boothferry Park, the Tigers have been ruthless against struggling teams: Preston, Leicester, Sheffield Wednesday and Coventry have all been beaten and Hull did not concede a goal in any of those four games.

Being without injured top scorer Dean Windass is an obvious negative, but that is countered by the return to action of Caleb Folan, who has been out with flu.

Visitors Colchester scrambled a 2-1 win over Preston on Tuesday night but that was only their second victory in 12 outings. They have one of the worst defensive records in the Championship, and have conceded at least one goal in each of their last 14 away games.

Moving down to League One, and I will be taking Cheltenham to make the most of home advantage against Hartlepool.

Both clubs are looking over their shoulders at the relegation zone, but the Robins have managed to keep their heads above water with some gritty and hard-fought home victories.

They have won four of the last five at Whaddon Road and have shown the ability to dig in to make sure of the three points: three of those four victories have been by a 1-0 scoreline.

Strikers Damian Spencer and Ashley Vincent are back in the squad after a virus, giving manager Keith Downing increased options against a Pools side missing a total of four players through injury or suspension.

The visitors have taken a meagre one point from their last nine away league games, during which time they have shipped 19 goals.

There are plenty of matches that look like home bankers in League Two and consequently the prices on offer do not represent much value, even when included in a treble.

However, there is a better price to be had about Grimsby as they host Dagenham and Redbridge, possibly because the Mariners have a very average home record for a side that is on the fringes of the promotion race. Only six wins out of 16 at Blundell Park, and a negative goal difference.

But scratch beneath the surface and you find all the indications that Alan Buckley has sorted that 'home sickness out'. Grimsby won only two of their first 11 home league matches, but have since won four and drawn the other of their last five games.

Visitors Dagenham and Redbridge crushed Chester 6-2 in midweek, but they have received some whippings of their own on away trips this season: 4-0 at Chester, 4-0 at Shrewsbury and 4-1 at Hereford all contributing to give the league new-boys one of the worst defensive records in League Two.

Grimsby's slow start has left them with plenty of ground to make up if they are to get into the promotion shake-up, but any side that is undefeated since Christmas is clearly in good heart and heading in the right direction.

Therefore, the French Connection treble this weekend is backing Hull at [1.74], Cheltenham at [2.4] and Grimsby at [1.71] - that should pay around the [7.2] mark.

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