Preston aiming to secure second spot in League One against Fleetwood

Simon Grayson’s Preston are odds-on at 5/6 with Coral to beat Fleetwood, as they look to strengthen their chances of automatic promotion from League One.

They lie in second place currently, three points ahead of Swindon who are in third, and Grayson puts his side’s recent good form down to their FA Cup run, having recovered from a difficult start to the year.

“January was difficult, there’s no getting away from that fact,” he said.

“That Sheffield United game was probably a catalyst for the success we’re having now. The incentive was there in terms of going through the next round of the cup to face Manchester United.

“Joe Garner (coming back from injury) was a massive lift for us, Callum Robinson coming back (on loan) and Daniel Johnson was a new person around it too.

“There were lots of things but one result can really change a season around. That can happen at any football club and we do believe that’s been the case along with the other factors we mentioned.”

Earlier in the season, North End won 3-2 thanks to a Joe Garner hat-trick. League One’s joint-leading marksman (20 goals) is 9/2 to break the deadlock, having netted last time out in the away draw with Barnsley. The match before that was a 2-0 victory over Peterborough when Daniel Johnson and Jermaine Beckford got on the scoresheet. They are 5/2 and 9/5 respectively to be on target anytime.

The hosts are four points off the play-offs and will be keen to get as near as they can, however, they haven’t won in two games. Last time out, Bradford held them to a 2-2 draw in West Yorkshire, while prior to that Coventry inflicted a 2-0 defeat on them.