The FA Cup provided a temporary break from the exertions of the league, but it’s back to the bread and butter of League Two as Plymouth take on Portsmouth in the televised game on Saturday lunchtime.
Plymouth sent AFC Fylde packing following a long journey to Home Park with a solid and professional 2-0 victory whilst Portsmouth laboured to a 2-2 draw with Aldershot from the division below and will have to have a replay to make it into round 2. Plymouth have been in tremendous form in recent weeks, whilst Pompey have started picking up points
and have moved into 9th place. They are particularly effective on their home patch, but struggle on the road.
The Pilgrims haven’t lost on home soil since high flying Wycombe visited Home Park on the 16th September and recorded a 1-0 win. They’ve been consistent and have conceded few goals. They also picked up a creditable 1-1 draw at Burton on their last league outing. They may be only 3 places higher than their
opposition, but I am predicting home advantage will be a huge factor and they should be able to see off their South Coast rivals. Paul Robinson is suspended for Portsmouth, a small disruption in defence won't do anything to help Portsmouth’s cause.
Plymouth to win at 6/5 is my first betting
tip for Plymouth v Portsmouth on Saturday afternoon. Plymouth have only conceded twice at home this season in the league, once to Stevenage and once at the aforementioned match against Wycombe. This is a superb record and the defensive stability of Peter
Hartley and Curtis Nelson as well as Carl McHugh & Anthony O’Connor has paid off with few concessions this season.
Portsmouth on the other hand have only
scored 3 times away from home in the League and may struggle to provide the firepower to infiltrate the watertight back line. They have improved significantly offensively, but I think this game will be tight and goals will be scarce.
Our next Plymouth v Portsmouth prediction is for under 2.5 goals to be the scores at 4/6. Reuben Reid didn’t find the net against AFC Fylde, but he is still Plymouth’s top scorer by a distance and as penalty taker, he is a decent bet to be first goalscorer in this game. The former Yeovil man is hot property at this level and has chipped in with several important
goals this season. He has scored 9 goals in all competitions and assisted by Marvin Morgan, who got on the score sheet at the weekend, he is a good bet to find the net early on in the match. Reuben Reid to score first goal 9/2 is our final football betting tip this weekend.
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