Sutton United vs Port Vale Predictions

• Sutton have won their last three home League Two games.
• Port Vale have relied on stoppage-time winners in their past two games to keep a five-game win streak going.
• Sutton have scored nine goals and conceded only three in their last five League Two games.

Elbows sharpened for tussle of two physical sides

Two of the more physical sides in the division meet when Sutton United put their three-game home winning streak up against Port Vale’s victorious three-game away sequence in League Two this weekend.

The Football League newcomers have settled well after a rocky start and enjoyed their most emphatic win of the season last weekend when destroying Carlisle United 4-0 at Gander Green Lane. They are yet to face a top-half team at home, though, so this will be their biggest test.

Late Vale goals could be papering over some cracks 

Darrell Clarke’s visitors have been rewarded for their never-say-die attitude with three stoppage-time goals in their last two games with two of them proving to be winners. That can do wonders for confidence in the camp, but may also paper over cracks that would otherwise be addressed by personnel changes.

Sutton’s front two will provide a very different test for Vale’s defence than goal-shy Rochdale did in midweek when Clarke’s side got a scrappy win with an own goal. And another reason for swerving the visitors here could be the absence of in-form midfielder Ben Garrity, scorer of the Valiants’ last three away league goals, who came off with an injury in the second half against Leyton Orient last weekend.

We’re picking the U’s to take the three points on Saturday because their home form is improving and Vale shouldn’t be able to bully an equally physical side into late submission this time. Our selection of a 2-1 home win factors in Vale’s record of having averaged 1.2 away league goals this term while Sutton have banged in a impressive seven in their last three at home.