Oldham vs Ipswich Predictions

• Ipswich have scored 34 goals in 17 League One fixtures this season.
• Oldham sit joint-bottom of the Football League having lost 10 of 16 matches in League Two, and have trailed at the break in 9 of those defeats.
• 37 places separate the two sides in the pyramid.

Ipswich Look to Improve Woeful Cup Record

Ipswich Town have won just one FA Cup tie since January 2010, but look likely to improve on that woeful record by progressing past Oldham on Tuesday, who sit level with Scunthorpe at the very bottom of the Football League.

The Tractor Boys produced a flat performance in the original tie to draw 1-1 at Portman Park, despite Paul Cook naming a virtually full-strength team. Cook’s side still, predictably, dominated the encounter, managing nearly 60% possession and almost doubling Oldham’s shot tally.

Cook’s appointment was made with a return to the Championship in mind, but his team have made an inconsistent start. The Tractor Boys have, however, provided entertainment, averaging 2 goals per game in the third tier this season.

Oldham’s Struggles Set to Continue

Keith Curle’s Oldham may see an FA Cup replay as a welcome distraction from their dreadful start to the League Two season. The Latics have won 3 of 16 matches, only one of which came at Boundary Park, against fellow strugglers Stevenage. The hosts have also adopted the awful habit of starting slowly, trailing at the break in 9 of their 10 league losses and only claiming any form of result from behind on one occasion.

While next weekend’s trip to Sunderland may encourage Ipswich to make more changes than they did for the original tie, its hard to see past the free scoring visitors here, given Oldham’s struggles in the division below.

For those reasons, I’m backing Ipswich to overcome their FA Cup struggles, to take a first half lead and go on to post a routine victory. Ipswich/Ipswich on the halftime/fulltime market is my tip, with 2-0 to the Tractor Boys a strong correct score prediction.