Crewe vs Doncaster prediction, betting odds and tips: Railwaymen should be shunted aside by Donny

Where to watch Crewe vs Doncaster

You can watch Crewe vs Doncaster in their League Two playoff semi-final first leg at 5.30pm on Monday, May 6, live on Sky Sports Football & Main Event.

Best bet

Doncaster
2pts 6-4 Betfred

Crewe vs Doncaster odds

Crewe 9-5
Doncaster 6-4
Draw 5-2

Odds correct at time of publishing

Crewe vs Doncaster team news

Crewe

Crewe have injury concerns over Matus Holicek (ankle), Lewis Billington (calf), Chris Long (knee), Ed Turns (knee) and Conor Thomas (hamstring). Goalkeepers Tom Booth and Harvey Davies are both out with hamstring injuries, while Jack Powell (knee), Luke Offord (ankle) and Owen Lunt (back) are also sidelined.

Doncaster
Goalkeeper Thimothee Lo-Tutala is available after his red card against Gillingham was overturned. Ben Close, Liam Ravenhill, Caolan Lavery and Bobby Faulkner are likely to be out but Jon Taylor and George Miller are close to returning.

Crewe vs Doncaster predictions

Doncaster's rise from the depths of League Two to a playoff place has been one of the stories of the EFL season and Rovers can keep rolling as they face an out-of-form and injury-hit Crewe team in their semi-final first leg on Monday.

Donny were in 20th place with just 11 matches remaining, but ten straight wins followed by a last-day draw propelled them to an incredible fifth position in the final table.

Finishing above Crewe means Donny get to play the second leg at home but heading out on the road shouldn't bother them as they have lost only one of their last ten away games and claimed wins at Swindon, Crawley, Morecambe and Colchester in their golden spell. Three of those victories were by multiple goals and Crewe's home form has been awful.

The Alex have won only one of their last nine outings overall as they staggered their way into the playoffs, finishing sixth after being third in the standings with 12 games to go. They have lost their last three home games by identical 3-0 scorelines against Forest Green, Grimsby and Wrexham and have scored only twice in their last five games at the Mornflake Stadium.

Their only success in their last seven home games was a 1-0 verdict over relegated Sutton and they needed a last-minute equaliser to avoid losing to 22nd-placed Colchester on the final day.

Crewe's weak finish can be attributed in part to their lengthy injury list but with no sign of reinforcements coming they look vulnerable against an in-form team and Doncaster should be capable of taking a lead into the second leg.

Key stat

Doncaster have lost only one of their last ten away games

Probable teams

Crewe (4-2-3-1): Stryjek; Cooney, Demetriou, Williams, Adebisi; Billington, Austerfield; Tracey, Tabiner, Rowe; Nevitt
Subs: Lenarcik, Down, Holicek, Long, Finney, Baker-Richardson, Kirk.

Doncaster (4-2-3-1): Lo-Tutala; Sterry, Anderson, Wood, Maxwell; Bailey, Craig; Molyneux, Rowe, Adelakun; Ironside
Subs: Jones, Biggins, Olowu, Nixon, Broadbent, Hurst, Westbrooke, Waters.

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