Expert EFL predictions and free football tips from Dan Childs

When to bet

Kick-offs 3pm

Best bets

Port Vale draw no bet
2pts 11-10 general

Northampton or draw double chance
2pts 3-4 BoyleSports

Bradford
2pts 17-20 Hills

Crawley
2pts Evs bet365

Dan Childs's EFL predictions

Port Vale v Bolton

Port Vale are dreaming of a decent EFL Cup run but League One points remain their priority and they can add another three when taking on promotion rivals Bolton in the Potteries.

Andy Crosby's Vale started the week with a 2-1 success at home to Sutton United in the EFL Cup third round. They are through to the last 16 for the first time since 2006 and further progress looks possible after they landed a fourth-round tie away to League Two Mansfield.

Reaching the EFL Cup quarter-finals would be a massive achievement but Crosby will be keen to keep his players focused on league matters because his team are sat in fourth place with 17 points from nine games.

Vale have not played second-tier football since the 1999-2000 season but they are positioned above some heavyweight clubs, including seventh-placed Bolton, who have taken just one point from their last two fixtures.

Bolton went into the September international break in second place but they have looked out of sorts in recent weeks, losing 2-1 at Reading and drawing 1-1 at home to Peterborough.

Trotters manager Ian Evatt will be keen to address the recent blip but his team head to Vale Park without suspended defender Gethin Jones and injured centre-back Ricardo Santos.

Vale will want to apply pressure to the visitors' rejigged back three and they can do enough to secure a fourth home league win of the season.

Exeter v Northampton

Exeter were the other League One representatives in the EFL Cup fourth-round draw after a superb 1-0 triumph at home to Luton, but their week could end on a sour note with against Northampton at St James Park.

Grecians manager Gary Caldwell surprised the Premier League Hatters by deploying an unusual six-man defence.

Caldwell's tactics worked a treat on Tuesday but a different approach will be needed against Northampton, who will be content to sit in and rely on breakaways and set-pieces.

Exeter's recent league results have been mixed, with two losses among the last three games, and the Northampton game has the makings of a tricky assignment.

The Cobblers are 19th with just seven points but they have not lost any game by more than one goal and are quite capable of adding to their tally in south Devon.

Bradford v Walsall

League Two promotion hopefuls Bradford look a different proposition with star striker Andy Cook back to full fitness and they look a solid bet to see off Walsall at Valley Parade.

Cook's hat-trick helped the Bantams to a 4-1 success at Newport last Saturday and the 32-year-old can make the difference against the Saddlers, who have suffered back-to-back defeats.

Crawley v Sutton United

League Two highflyers Crawley continue to perform way above modest pre-season expectations and they can stay close to the early-season pacesetters by defeating basement boys Sutton United in West Sussex.

Scott Lindsay's side are on a four-game winning streak and they can make it five against Sutton, who have gone eight league matches without a win.

Accumulator

Cardiff 7-10, Stockport Evs, Bradford 5-6, Crawley 19-20
£1 acca returns £12.15 with bet365

Click to back Dan Childs's Saturday accumulator with bet365

First goalscorer

John Marquis Peterborough v Bristol Rovers
at 9-1 bet365, BoyleSports

Bristol Rovers centre-forward John Marquis has returned to form with a goal in each of the last two games and he looks a likely deadlock-breaker against Peterborough at London Road.

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