Portsmouth v Coventry: Goals appeal in vital Monday match-up

TOM LOVE (@TomLove_18) has perused the markets ahead of Easter Monday's meeting between Portsmouth and Coventry.

Portsmouth v Coventry | Monday 22nd April 2019, 12:30 | Sky Sports

Portsmouth are in full pursuit of promotion back to the Championship, and on Easter Monday they face a dangerous and in-form Coventry outfit in a huge game for both clubs at the top end of the League One table.

Pompey sit in 4th, two points off second-placed Barnsley, but vitally they have a game in-hand. Having said that, Sunderland also have a game in-hand as both sides met in the EFL Trophy final.

Fratton boss Kenny Jackett is an excellent manager and has tonnes of experience; it’s always hard to back against his sides. However, they’re up against a Coventry side full of vim and vigour here and they deserve to be feared by any side in the division.

Mark Robins is another manager I’m a fan of. His teams always tend to mix it and this Sky Blues side are certainly one to watch next season if they fail to challenge the play-offs this year. Their front four have set the league alight in the last month or so.

Coventry’s quadrant of Luke Thomas, Bright Enobakhare, Jordy Hiwula and Amadou Bakayoko have been destructive and opposition have felt the full force in the last few weeks, just ask Sunderland…

Cov are also six unbeaten on the road and that makes the odds on quotes of 7/10 on the hosts look simply wrong. It’s a well-known thought in this league that Pompey do their best work on the road (W13-D5-L4), And two of those losses were against strong sides in Luton and Charlton.

To be fair to the south-coast hosts, they’ve now won their last three at Fratton Park and Jackett sides do tend to turn it on when they need to.

Instead of taking the short quotes on the hosts, I’m much more inclined to back Both Teams To Score (10/11 Bet365). Portsmouth have conceded in over half of their home games and the Sky Blues are free-scoring at this moment in time. The guests have notched in 11 of their last 13, scoring five last time on the road at the Stadium of Light. That performance shows their bravery against the big teams and they’ll come here with no fear.

Coventry have conceded in their last three on the road, mind. There’s also a greater onus on the hosts to take the game to the Sky Blues, but they have to be wary of the pace they have on the break.

BTTS looks like an attractive price, all things considered.