Oldham vs Port Vale Predictions

• Both teams have scored in three of Oldham’s last four League Two home games.
• Both teams have scored in Port Vale’s last three League Two away matches.
• Port Vale are without central defender Nathan Smith and top scorer James Wilson is struggling with a knock.

Latics can make life difficult for Vale

Oldham gave in-form League One outfit Ipswich Town a hard game in the FA Cup on Tuesday and will try to make life difficult for a surging Port Vale side on Saturday.

The Latics are 23rd in the table, only kept off the bottom by virtue of their superior goal difference to Scunthorpe, and haven’t won in seven games. But Keith Curle’s men took the lead and looked to be on top for much of their FA Cup first round replay in midweek, showing real signs of improvement.

Oldham have been beaten by two of the division’s better sides in their last two – Swindon and Exeter – and will be expected to suffer the same fate against the red-hot Valiants, who have taken 23 points from their last ten League Two contests.

Clarke may have reduced options in defence and attack

But Darrell Clarke’s men will be forced into a reshuffle at the back following Nathan Smith’s injury at Bradford and they could well be without James Wilson up front. The ex-Manchester United striker, who is the club’s joint-leading goalscorer alongside injured Jamie Proctor, is struggling with a knock, which could leave Clarke to select from third and fourth-choice forward options.

Port Vale spread the goals around, so we have no qualms about backing them to score for an eighth away league game on the trot, but we like the chances of the Latics continuing their scoring run at home.

Oldham have scored in their last six contests at Boundary Park and should give us a good shot at landing both teams to score on Saturday. A 1-1 scoreline might also have a sneaky chance of landing a decent payout too, given Port Vale’s short price and injury issues.