Oh when the Saints Go Marching In with our Money

Good Friday was anything but for us with Aldershot's kit man seeming to have forgotten to pack the side's shooting boots & even with a very early goal, the Swansea v Newcastle game couldn't muster the three needed for a payout. We're keeping things easy today with some rock solid home picks in the early & late game plus one more Championship game. Some people will tell you there can never be value in backing odds on but they'd be wrong - imagine us offering odds of 1/4 for Barcelona to beat Burton in a competitive game - you'd bite our hands off!

(Jon Walters is key in so much of Stoke's attacking play)

In the late Premier League game we have a price that is simply wrong as Stoke City are 4/6 to beat Wolverhampton Wanderers at home, in their feared Brittania Stadium. Lets not make any bones about this, Wolves are the worst side in the league by a distance, they have a poor squad, an inexperienced manager & on top of that they have injuries & infighting, how a superior side such as Stoke can only be 4/6 to win is incomprehensible. Stoke have had a sticky patch themselves, losing 4 in a row over January & February & only taking a point at Anfield! They picked themselves up with wins over Swansea & Norwich here & although not winning in four since they've performed well with a 1-0 defeat at Chelsea, holding Spurs away then Man City here before succumbing to improving Wigan. Wolves have shown nothing to suggest a result is forthcoming with one win in 17 & losses in 9 of their last 12, they could stay up mathematically but surely any hope has gone. Goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey seems to let just about every shot straight through him & this could be a big win for the Potters, & it's tempting to take them on the handicap but with goals hard to come by for them lets just stick to a hefty wager on the home win at 4/6.

(Billy Sharp firing one in for Southampton)

We're going to keep things really simple & go for another team overpriced by Betfred & Totesport with Southampton to come out victorious in their South Coast derby with Portsmouth. We cannot see anything other than a Saints win here as they look to go top again after Reading surpassed them with a late show against 10 man Leeds thanks to playing yesterday. Southampton suffered a shock 3-0 loss last week to Blackpool but had looked impervious previously with 8 out of 10 wins & no loss in 12. Pompey recently managed good wins against Birmingham & Hull but have lost their last 4 away games & were smashed 5-1 at home by Burnley last weekend, they will come & battle but surely won't stand up to Southampton's firepower for long, Lambert & Lallana plus Billy Sharp will all be looking to pile the shots & goals in & 1/2 for a hugely better side at home is a great price & Southampton should be backed.

(Hat-trick man Radoslaw Majewski will look to steal the headlines again)

In the Championship, Nottingham Forest entertain Bristol City at the City Ground, both sides are involved in a relegation dogfight with Forest in 19th whilst Bristol City are in the final drop spot. Forest are unbeaten in their last four league games with two wins & two draws with the latest being a 3-0 away victory at Crystal Palace thanks to an impressive hat-trick from Radoslaw Majewski, in their last four home games they have picked up seven points having beaten Millwall & Coventry. Visitors Bristol City are really struggling & have only recorded one victory since the end of January at home to Leicester City, they have suffered eight defeats in their last 13 league matches & have failed to score in seven of them, away from home they are winless in their last seven, of which five have ended in defeats. We expect Nottingham Forest to continue their revival & put further distance between themselves & relegation rivals at a price of 5/6.

Selections:
Stoke City to beat Wolverhampton Wanderers at 4/6 (Betfred & Totesport)
Southampton to beat Portsmouth at 1/2 (Betfred & Totesport)
Nottingham Forest to beat Bristol City at 5/6 (various)

A double on the top two will give odds of 6/4 which looks good value