League One
Stockport expected to ease past already-relegated Port Vale
Tuesday night brings a slim but significant League One card, with William Hill News predicting three fixtures that matter at both ends of the table.
Lincoln and Cardiff are already over the hill in the automatic spots, but the play‑off race and relegation scrap are very much alive – and all six teams in action still have something on the line.
League One predictions – Tuesday 28th April:
Northampton 1-2 Barnsley
Peterborough 1-1 Mansfield
Stockport 3-0 Port Vale
Northampton v Barnsley – Tuesday, 7.45pm
Northampton – 9/5 | Draw – 5/2 | Barnsley – 5/4
It’s last chance saloon for bottom‑placed Northampton. They sit 24th on 35 points with the worst goal difference in the division and have lost each of their last five games. Goals have been a problem – only 37 scored in 44 – and the Cobblers now need something close to perfection from here just to give themselves a shot at survival.
Barnsley, by contrast, are firmly lodged in mid‑table but in noticeably better nick, as they’re on 56 points and are mathematically safe. There’s a risk that comfort translates into complacency, but with competition for places and players playing for futures, the visitors should still be motivated.
Barnsley are narrow favourites despite being away from home. Given Northampton’s confidence is clearly on the floor and their defence conceding at a rate of more than 1.5 goals per game, the visitors look well‑placed to edge a game that could still be nervy given the stakes.
Prediction: Northampton 1-2 Barnsley
Peterborough v Mansfield – Tuesday, 7.45pm
Peterborough – 29/20 | Draw – 12/5 | Mansfield – 8/5
Peterborough’s season has never really caught fire. They sit 19th on 52 points, and having gone without a win in their last five tells the story of a side stumbling over the finish line rather than sprinting. Goals haven’t been the issue, with 63 scored, but shipping 65 at the other end has left them with a negative goal difference and too many games where they’ve been easy to play through.
Mansfield still have something tangible to chase. They’re 11th with 61 points, just a couple of wins from sneaking into the play‑off picture if teams above them falter. Two wins in their last two games suggests a team that has found some late‑season rhythm, tightening up at the back and becoming harder to beat.
The odds are tight, with William Hill marginally shading Peterborough as favourites on home advantage alone. Given both teams’ numbers, this feels like a classic clash of a chaotic, high‑scoring home side against a more balanced, in‑form visitor. Mansfield’s momentum is tempting, but Peterborough’s attacking threat at London Road means a point apiece feels the smarter call.
Prediction: Peterborough 1-1 Mansfield
Stockport v Port Vale – Tuesday, 7.45pm
Stockport – 2/5 | Draw – 17/5 | Port Vale – 6/1
It’s looking very tight for Stockport among the play-off chasing pack. They’re fourth on 74 points, only a single point behind Bolton with a game in hand, but have only one win in five. A goal difference of +12, built on 67 scored, underlines the attacking threat that has made Edgeley Park one of the toughest away days in the division.
Port Vale’s picture is far bleaker. They’re 23rd on 39 points, with a goal difference of -24 and a recent run of form that looks better on paper than it feels; they managed five points from three games before losing two on the bounce. With Rotherham just above them and the relegation trapdoor still wide open, the pressure is all on the visitors.
Odds of 2/5 for Stockport to win speaks volumes, and it’s hard to argue. With promotion still very much alive and the crowd likely bouncing, anything less than three points for the hosts would be a major surprise. Expect them to come out fast and try to kill this early.
Prediction: Stockport 3-0 Port Vale
*Odds subject to change – prices accurate at the time of writing.
