Poyet’s Brighton play themselves into promotion contention

Having failed to last the pace in the climax to the 2011/2012 season, Brighton and Hove Albion have maintained their momentum this term to secure a place in the Championship play-off semi-finals.

And Gus Poyet’s Seagulls are currently on an upward curve that could see them justify their 11/5 odds to earn promotion to the Premier League’s promised land.

Only Charlton Athletic finished the regular season ahead of Brighton in the form table, with Albion currently on a run that’s seen them win four of their last six while drawing the other two matches.

By contrast, their semi-final opponents and major rivals Crystal Palace have won just once in their last ten outings.

That was a nervy final day 3-2 victory over Peterborough United and the Eagles can include March’s 3-0 thrashing at the hands of Brighton as one of the low points during a barren recent spell.

Palace are the 7/2 outsiders out of the quartet vying for promotion as they aim to become only the second team in the last 11 years to go up having finished the season fifth in the table.

And for dejected Watford fans an enhancement of that statistic offers hope.

Despite missing out on automatic promotion by just two points all might not be lost for the Hornets.

Five of the last ten play-off winners ended the campaign in third, including the previous two sides to have succeeded in the final.

Given that trend and the fact that Watford have already done the double over semi-final opponents Leicester City this term, 11/4 offers plenty of appeal.

Gianfranco Zola’s side also hold the distinction of being the top-placed team when it comes to form against those who finished in the upper half of the league.

Twelve wins from those 22 games played is encouraging, while Leicester(9/4 for promotion) are the lowest ranked side when examining the same table.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.