NEC Nijmegen vs FC Utrecht Reserves Predictions

It’s been a torrid campaign for NEC who have regressed significantly after last season’s 3^rd place finish, and they go into this Friday’s game with Jong Utrecht 15^th in the table having failed to win any of their last seven matches. Nonetheless, a 1-1 draw away to 7^th placed Oss last week was a step back in the right direction for Jack De Gier’s side, and they should gain a rare victory here against Robin Pronk’s strugglers who have lost their last four league outings.

NEC appeared to be heading for their fifth defeat in six at Frans Heesen Stadion on match day 22, but they were rescued seven minutes from time by the prolific Ferdy Druijf, who bagged his first goal for the club since joining from AZ Alkmaar at the turn of the year.

In the circumstances, it was a decent result for the pre-season promotion favourites who have completely collapsed this term, and it’s hard to predict what’s in store for NEC going into the business end of the campaign.

The Play-offs will be the optimistic goal for coach De Gier, who is probably fortunate to remain in charge based on how NEC have performed this season in relation to expectations back in the summer, but that’s a big ask considering their current five point deficit and the fact that there are a clutch of sides queuing up ahead of them in mid-table (such as RKC and FC Eindhoven) who have been in fantastic form of late.

This Friday’s fixture against Jong Utrecht at Goffertstadion should get them back on the winning trail though, and it speaks volumes about the visitors that NEC are heavy odds-on for the three points at around the 1/4 mark despite failing to win any of their last seven.

Jong’s have now lost their last four after being turned over 1-2 by RKC at Sportpark De Westmaat on Monday, and Robin Pronk’s men continue to have their own private battle with Dordrecht, Jong AZ and Helmond Sport to avoid finishing bottom of the second tier.

They travel to Nijmegen having lost nine of their 11 outings on the road this term (drawing the other two) and they’ve failed to hit the net in their last three away matches.

So even taking NEC’s woeful form into account, Jong stand little chance of gaining a result here; and it’s still worth remembering that the hosts had gone 23 games unbeaten at Goffertstadion before FC Eindhoven ended that run back in October.

NEC ran out 1-2 winners when the sides met in August’s reverse fixture, and they’ve come out best in all three previous meetings with Jong which further bodes well for their chances this Friday.

Odds for a home success are obviously too short to tempt most punters though, so we need to look for another angle into ultimately backing an NEC win.

The answer looks to be the half time/full time market, as Jong have been behind at the break in eight of their 11 away fixtures – nine of which they’ve gone onto lose at the final whistle. NEC have won just three of their 11 at home this term, but they have been leading in four at half time so their effort across the 90 minutes is largely consistent.

That’s our main tip for this Friday’s contest n Nijmegen and we’re also opting for a 2-0 correct score in favour of the hosts, with Jong unlikely to pose much of a goal threat as shown in their last three away assignments.