+0.42 points a game is the venue form gap, in Port Vale's favour: Port Vale takes 1.00 a game at home over the last two seasons, Northampton Town 0.58 away.
Port Vale: 50 league matches in the bank, 7 from this season and the rest from last season in the League One. Northampton Town: 50 league matches in the bank, 7 from this season and the rest from last season in the League One.
The question this step asks
Step two is HOME AND AWAY FORM -- the home side judged on its home record, the away side on its away record, because those are the records that will be on the pitch. The last five reach back into last season where this season is too young to answer, and say so.
The two sides
Port Vale -- at home
Its record at the relevant venue
This season at home: won 1, drew 2, lost 0 of 3, scoring 2 and conceding 1. Last season at home in the League One: won 4, drew 8, lost 10 of 22, scoring 17 and conceding 25 -- 0.91 points a game.
Its last five league matches
Newest first: lost to Walsall 0-2 away; beat Exeter City 1-0 at home; lost to Salford City 0-1 away; lost to Swindon Town 1-3 away; drew with Crewe Alexandra 0-0 at home.
The dugout
The banked record belongs to the club, not one man: 2 different managers took its 22 matches with one recorded (16, 6 apiece), most recently Jon Brady with 16. Who picks the team today is not yet recorded this season, so a summer change of manager would not show in these figures.
Northampton Town -- away
Its record at the relevant venue
This season away: won 0, drew 1, lost 2 of 3, scoring 1 and conceding 4. Last season away in the League One: won 3, drew 4, lost 14 of 21, scoring 15 and conceding 38 -- 0.62 points a game.
Its last five league matches
Newest first: lost to Rotherham United 0-1 at home; lost to Shrewsbury Town 0-2 away; beat Newport County 1-0 at home; drew with Crawley Town 1-1 at home; drew with Gillingham 1-1 away.
The dugout
The banked record belongs to the club, not one man: 3 different managers took its 21 matches with one recorded (7, 7, 7 apiece), most recently Chris Hogg with 7. Who picks the team today is not yet recorded this season, so a summer change of manager would not show in these figures.
Built 00:05 from matches completed before
kick-off. Every figure is an observed count with its denominator —
not a forecast, and nothing here is a tip or a selection.