Crawley vs Stockport Prediction: Red Devils can impress at home

There is only one EFL fixture on Monday but it's an intriguing match in the League Two promotion race as Crawley Town host Stockport County.

The home side have propelled themselves to the brink of the play-off places with a fine run of form and will jump into seventh place if they can win, while second-placed Stockport are starting to look over their shoulders after winning only one of their last six games.

Team news

Crawley are still without captain Ben Gladwin, midfielder Liam Kelly and defender Dion Conroy due to injuries.

Macauley Southam-Hales is out and Stockport could also be missing Ryan Croasdale, Louie Barry, Akil Wright and Will Collar. Midfielder Nick Powell missed the Salford match due to injury and defender Ethan Bristow is a doubt after injuring his shoulder in that game.

Match Odds

Stockport are favourites to win on the road and priced at 9/10 to win the match with Crawley on offer at 3/1 and the draw available at 13/5.

Over 2.5 goals in the game is priced at 4/5 with under 2.5 at 10/11 and it's 8/11 that both teams score in the game with 1/1 on offer for only one or neither team to find the net.

Stockport's Isaac Olaofe is favourite to score the first goal of the game at 9/2.

Crawley draw no bet @ 2/1

Crawley finished 18 places below Stockport in League Two last season, surviving a relegation battle to finish 22nd, but the outlook has been much brighter for the Sussex side this season.

They are in fine form under manager Scott Lindsey and a run of five wins in their last six games means that another success against Stockport would take them into the play-off positions.

Crawley's impressive improvement has coincided with Stockport suffering a concerning drop-off in their own form.

County looked to be cruising towards promotion when they went on a stunning run of 13 successive wins in the autumn but the match odds appear to give too much weight to that and not enough to their run of only six wins in 21 games since late November.

Crawley gave as good as they got in the teams' first meeting, which just preceded County's long winning streak, coming back from an early 2-0 deficit to take the lead before the home side equalised late in a 3-3 draw.

Stockport have not lost in four games, but they would have been disappointed to take only a point from Thursday's short trip to Salford, when they were forced to come back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with a struggling home team.

That game also means Crawley should be the fresher team as they have had 48 extra hours to prepare after Tuesday's excellent 2-1 win over Notts County and the Red Devils look worth backing at 2-1 draw no bet to secure their 11th home league win of the season.

Correct-score bettors could consider a 2-1 win for the home team at 12/1.

#PickYourPunt: Crawley or Draw double chance, over 2.5 goals and Danilo Orsi anytime goalscorer @ 6/1

For a second bet on Monday's League Two game, consider a three-leg #PickYourPunt wager on Crawley or Draw double chance, over 2.5 goals in the match and Danilo Orsi to score at any time for Crawley.

The Sussex side are full of confidence after their recent success and manager Lindsey has even encouraged talk of them reaching the play-offs as belief grows within his squad. They will be keen to prove themselves against a top team such as Stockport, as Wimbledon have been the only promotion rivals they have faced in the last month.

Crawley can take at least a point from the game and even though they have tightened up defensively lately, conceding only five goals in their last eight games, this could be a lively encounter with at least three goals scored. Both teams need three points rather than one and they shared six goals in their first meeting this season.

The home team will be looking to Danilo Orsi to lead their goal effort as the striker has an impressive 15 in the league in his first season with the club and he looks worth adding as an anytime goalscorer selection.

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