Helmond Sport vs FC Utrecht Reserves Predictions

A stoppage time equaliser from Nick de Louw earned Helmond Sport one of their best results of the campaign last week as they drew 1-1 at 6^th placed Oss, and the point was enough to lift Rob Alflen’s side off the bottom of the table after Jong AZ were thumped 5-0 by Sparta Rotterdam. On the back of that result, Sport will be optimistic about securing just their second win of the season on match day 19 as they entertain a Jong Utrecht side who’ve claimed just two points from nine games on the road in 2018/19.

Helmond Sport have had a woeful season overall, however things have really been looking up for Rob Alflen’s side over the past three weeks.

They finally ended their 23 match winless run on match day 16 with a fabulous 3-0 success at home to leaders Sparta Rotterdam, and were narrowly edged out 1-0 by 3^rd placed Go Ahead Eagles a week later in Deventer.

Their performance against Oss on match day 18 was equally encouraging as they matched TOP in most departments, and they got their just reward deep into injury time as Nick de Louw’s strike earned them a precious point to take away from Frans Heesen Stadion.

So after a much improved spell, Sport have been installed as odds-on favourites for this Friday’s encounter with Jong Utrecht at Lavans Stadion, and the hosts should really be going all out for the win to cement their recent upward curve.

Admittedly, odds-on about a team that have won just once in 18 league games would rarely make appeal, and it’s perhaps a little surprising that they’re so short in the market considering Jong Utrecht are unbeaten in three after a 4-1 romp at home to Dordrecht last week that lifted them up to 17^th – four points ahead of 19^th placed Sport.

But Jong have been atrocious on the road this season with just two draws posted from nine fixtures, and they’ve conceded 23 goals in total on their travels.

Robin Pronk’s men consequently have the worst away record in Eerste Divisie, and the 3/1 available about their chances this Friday would probably have to be doubled to warrant any interest, even though they’re taking on their fellow strugglers who have lost five from nine in Helmond.

So we’re siding with Sport in this one who will be feeling much better about life after their last few performances, and if they reach that level on match day 19 they should be more than good enough to see off Jong Utrecht – especially if the visitors play as badly as they have done on the road for the majority of their fixtures.

This won’t be a classic, and there shouldn’t be too many goals, but the hosts can confirm their recent improvement and land the spoils with a 2-0 win.