Football – England – League One
Saturday 13th September 2014 – Kickoff: 1500hrs
Walsall will be looking to break their duck so to speak when they host Preston North End in League One on Saturday afternoon following four draws and two defeats.
With Walsall yet to register a win this season in the league, they currently find themselves fourth from bottom in the division with just four points to their name. Draws against Port Vale, Bradford City, Leyton Orient and Colchester United have earned The Saddlers with the early ‘draw specialists’ tag, while their overall home record stands at 0-2-1 1/2.
Former Shrewsbury Town striker Tom Bradshaw is Walsall’s leading goalscorer with 3 goals, but he’ll need greater support in the final third today if they’re to get anything out of Preston North End.
Onto the visitors Preston, and Simon Grayson’s team are once again expected to challenge for a play-off place this season on the back of a top five finish at the end of last season. However, Grayson will be keen to go one step better than last season’s play-off place as they lost out to Rotherham United who eventually went up to the Championship, and Preston do not have a good record in play-off situations!
Onto this season then, and Preston have once again been solid by remaining unbeaten so far with two wins and three draws under their belts. Away from home, Preston have a 1-1-0 5/1 record with a 4-0 win away at Scunthorpe United and a 1-1 draw at Doncaster Rovers.
Striker Joe Garner looks like a good anytime goalscorer candidate for the visitors who have won the last two encounters with Walsall including a 3-0 win last time these two teams met at the Banks’s Stadium in early September last year.
Walsall seem unable to ‘close the deal’ at the moment and have drawn matches as a result while Preston will be keen to extend their unbeaten run to six matches. I’ll back Preston with the round ball as we want the draw on our side, particularly as both teams have racked up 7 draws between them so far! Preston may edge this perhaps 1-0 though.
Pick: Preston North End AH0 @ 1.64 Bet Victor
