Rochdale welcome Oldham Athletic on Saturday lunchtime for a Lancashire derby between two sides separated by just three points in League Two.
Dale have endured a difficult return to the fourth tier, losing four of their opening six matches and sitting bottom of the table with four points.
Their only win of the campaign to date came against Shrewsbury Town, but that was followed by a 1-0 defeat at Colchester United and a goalless draw at Walsall last weekend.
Oldham are 14th with seven points but have also struggled for consistency, going winless in their last three league matches and losing their last two.
They are yet to win away from home this season, drawing one and losing two of their opening three on their travels.
The recent meetings between these local rivals have generally been tight, with the last two league encounters producing fewer than 2.5 goals.
Rochdale v Oldham Athletic Tips Summary
Best Bet - Under 2.5 goals @ Evs
Alternative Bet - Draw @ 5/2
Bet Builder - Rochdale +1 handicap, Calum Kavanagh anytime goalscorer & Over 9.5 corners @ 15/1
Best Bet: Under 2.5 goals @ Evs
Rochdale have struggled for goals this season, scoring just five times across their opening six League Two matches.
Dale have also kept things tight recently, with their latest match ending 0-0 at Walsall after they conceded 24 shots but managed to hold on for a point.
The Latics have scored eight goals this season, but have also gone without a goal in two of their last three league matches.
The last two league meetings between these sides have both produced fewer than 2.5 goals, so another low-scoring encounter appeals in this local derby.
Alternative Bet: Draw @ 5/2
There is little to separate the sides in the League Two table, with Oldham sitting 14th on seven points and Rochdale bottom on four.
The Latics are yet to win away from home this season, losing two and drawing one of their opening three road games.
Rochdale have won only one of their last three at home and were held to a goalless draw by Walsall last weekend.
The last six meetings between the sides have produced three draws and three games decided by a single goal, so another closely fought contest could end level.
Rochdale v Oldham Athletic Bet Builder Tip
Rochdale +1 handicap
Calum Kavanagh anytime goalscorer
Over 9.5 corners
Pays 15/1
Rochdale have struggled for results, but they have shown enough defensive resilience to suggest they can keep this derby competitive.
They held Walsall to a 0-0 draw last time out despite conceding 24 shots and seven efforts on target.
The +1 handicap gives Rochdale some protection in what should be a closely contested game, with the last five meetings between these sides producing only one victory by more than a single goal.
Calum Kavanagh is the most obvious source of an Oldham goal, having scored three times and provided three assists across his six appearances this season.
He is averaging 4.5 shots per match and just under two shots on target, so his regular involvement in the Latics' attacking play makes him a strong candidate to find the net against a Rochdale defence that has conceded 10 times this season.
Rochdale have recorded 25 corners across their six matches, while their games have produced an average of nine corners per match this season.
Oldham's matches have averaged 10 corners, with four of their last five games producing at least 10, making Over 9.5 corners an appealing final leg of the Bet Builder.
Learn more about how Bet Builders work in our Bet Builder guide.
Key Match Stats
Rochdale have lost four of their opening six League Two matches
Oldham are yet to win away from home in League Two this season
The last two league meetings between Rochdale and Oldham have produced fewer than 2.5 goals
Rochdale have scored five goals in their opening six League Two matches
Four of Oldham's last five matches have seen at least 10 corners awarded
Oldham have scored eight goals in their opening six League Two matches
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
