Hey everyone, it’s a much reduced schedule of games this weekend with the international break with the main focus being on League Two this time. I won’t be suggesting an accumulator this week due to the lack of games and also lack of solid teams that I can rely on playing this weekend. Without further ado, here are my predictions in what I see as a good weekend for underdogs.
League One:
Accrington Stanley vs Shrewsbury Town
Odds: Accrington – 21/20 Draw – 12/5 Shrewsbury – 11/4
What I think will happen:
I was disappointed by Accrington last week, they had a good chance to put up a statement in an away game they should’ve done well in but put in a really poor performance going forward and surprisingly at the back. I knew their long term ceiling probably was top half but it was a shame to see their hot streak end like that. Shrewsbury finally got a win last weekend in an extremely scrappy game but I’m still not sure if they’ve particularly improved. That being said, they at least have some momentum now and I’m going to say they nick a draw here with Accrington suddenly looking questionable at the back.
Accrington 1-1 Shrewsbury
AFC Wimbledon vs Oxford United
Odds: Wimbledon – 2/1 Draw – 5/2 Oxford – 13/10
What I think will happen:
I’m finding it hard to split these sides. Oxford played well against Lincoln last week and finally looked more like a playoff level team but Lincoln have been poor this season so it’s still not certain how much that form amounts for. Wimbledon meanwhile showed a lot of spirit to get a draw against Ipswich in a game they really should’ve lost. Oxford will be the better side in the long run but I can see this game being an entertaining draw based on current form.
AFC Wimbledon 2-2 Oxford United
Cheltenham Town vs Milton Keynes Dons
Odds: Cheltenham – 29/20 Draw – 23/10 MK Dons – 19/10
What I think will happen:
I’m surprised that Cheltenham are favourites here. MK Dons looked really polished last week in putting away a team that are at a very similar level to Cheltenham and with Cheltenham playing fairly averagely last week and not being too much of an attacking threat, I can see MK Dons kicking on here with another win and starting a push for the playoffs.
Cheltenham 0-1 MK Dons
Bolton Wanderers vs Burton Albion
Odds: Bolton – 21/20 Draw – 5/2 Burton – 12/5
What I think will happen:
Bolton had a tough away game last week where they deservedly lost to a Cambridge side that have improved a lot as of late. This should be a better challenge for them though as they get to play at home again and face a Burton side that still look decent but maybe not as solid as they did a few weeks ago. Bolton have been good going forward so far this season and I see that making the difference here in a 2-0 win.
Bolton 2-0 Burton
League Two:
Bradford City vs Walsall
Odds: Bradford – 8/11 Draw – 27/10 Walsall – 4/1
What I think will happen:
Bradford have really slipped off defensively in recent games and they finally got punished for it last week by Leyton Orient. That being said, they should still have plenty enough about them here to beat Walsall. Walsall finally got a win last week and played pretty well in it but I can’t see them stopping Bradford from scoring a few here.
Bradford 3-1 Walsall
Bristol Rovers vs Crawley Town
Odds: Bristol Rovers – 1/1 Draw – 5/2 Crawley – 14/5
What I think will happen:
Bristol Rovers are starting to look somewhat ready to turn the corner after an ok display last week but they’re far too short a price for me to be backing here. Crawley are seemingly a very poor away team though, they’ve been comfortably beaten in both away games they’ve had so far and I can see them losing another one here. Bristol Rovers can squeak a 1-0 and get some momentum rolling.
Bristol Rovers 1-0 Crawley
Carlisle United vs Salford City
Odds: Carlisle – 8/5 Draw – 11/5 Salford – 9/5
What I think will happen:
Salford finally turned the corner last week with a big win against a Newport team that did have a shocker. They have another good opportunity to get a win here though against a Carlisle side that have been pretty out of form as of late. I can see this either being 0-0 or 1-0 Salford and I’m going to take Salford to get the win here.
Carlisle 0-1 Salford
Colchester United vs Sutton United
Odds: Colchester – 7/5 Draw – 11/5 Sutton – 21/10
What I think will happen:
Sutton were pretty disappointing last week, I thought they might slip up but conceding twice in stoppage time to lose to a relegation rival is a disaster. That being said, this is the sort of matchup I expect them to do well in this season. The games against midtable sides where they will be expected to lose is probably where they’ll get the most results as they do play decent football but just don’t have the results to show for it. Colchester played ok against Rochdale in what was a fairly poor game and since I can’t see them scoring more than once here, 1-1 looks a very likely result.
Colchester 1-1 Sutton
Exeter City vs Forest Green Rovers
Odds: Exeter – 2/1 Draw – 23/10 Forest Green – 7/5
What I think will happen:
I like Exeter here. They’ve really improved under the radar in the last couple of games and could easily have beaten Harrogate despite going down to 10 men. Forest Green put up a no show against Port Vale and were comfortably beaten as a result of it. This is a tough game for them to bounce back in and while I expect them to fix things fairly quickly, this might not be the day for them to.
Exeter 2-1 Forest Green
Mansfield Town vs Harrogate Town
Odds: Mansfield – 5/6 Draw – 13/5 Harrogate – 10/3
What I think will happen:
Harrogate have made a hot start to the season but their performance after Exeter went down to 10 was a real concern for me. That being said, they beat Mansfield in midweek even if it was only the EFL trophy and Mansfield have lost a couple in a row in the league and didn’t play very well last week. I want to predict 2-1 Mansfield but I’m concerned they don’t have that winning thread about them so I’m going to take a 2-2 draw here as my prediction.
Mansfield 2-2 Harrogate
Newport County vs Leyton Orient
Odds: Newport – 29/20 Draw – 11/5 Leyton Orient – 2/1
What I think will happen:
I can see this one being 0-0. Newport were dreadful last week but don’t tend to be the sort of side that drop consecutive shockers while Leyton Orient got out of a rut in style with a 2-0 win over Bradford built on the back of a strong second half. I can see both sides cancelling each other here though Leyton Orient should be favourites instead of Newport in my eyes based on recent form.
Newport 0-0 Leyton Orient
Northampton Town vs Scunthorpe United
Odds: Northampton – 5/6 Draw – 5/2 Scunthorpe – 7/2
What I think will happen:
Scunthorpe are playing pretty well at the moment. They’ve made themselves tough to beat and haven’t lost in 4. They deserved to win last week and with Northampton not exactly looking like world beaters at the moment, I fancy them to draw again at minimum and wouldn’t be surprised at all to see them grind out a 1-0 win here. I’m going to take the upset here since I don’t trust Northampton and there won’t be many better times this season to bet Scunthorpe.
Northampton 0-1 Scunthorpe
Oldham Athletic vs Barrow
Odds: Oldham – 17/10 Draw – 11/5 Barrow – 17/10
What I think will happen:
Barrow are a poor away side and haven’t particularly impressed me as of late. They did well to get a point with 10 men last week but that was at home and this is likely going to be tough even against a poor team. Oldham showed a lot of spirit to get a win last week at Sutton and they’ll be riding a wave of momentum into this one. I can see them winning 2-1 again here since Barrow are out of form.
Oldham 2-1 Barrow
Port Vale vs Rochdale
Odds: Port Vale – 6/5 Draw – 23/10 Rochdale – 12/5
What I think will happen:
Port Vale finally got over their issues in front of goal last weekend and if they start scoring goals, they’re a pretty solid team and I like them here against a Rochdale side who still look to have problems about them. The goal they conceded against Colchester was farcical and they didn’t really create enough to win the game. They face a better team here and it’s tough to see them getting a result.
Port Vale 2-0 Rochdale
Stevenage vs Swindon Town
Odds: Stevenage – 6/4 Draw – 11/5 Swindon – 19/10
What I think will happen:
I’m surprised that Stevenage are favourites here. They just lost to one of the worst teams in the league while Swindon beat one of the best teams in the league last weekend. This game will likely be tight and low scoring and I can maybe see it being a 1-1 draw. Stevenage are unbeaten at home this season while Swindon have been strong away from home and that adds up to a game that will see both sides cancel each other out.
Stevenage 1-1 Swindon
Tranmere Rovers vs Hartlepool United
Odds: Tranmere – 31/20 Draw – 23/10 Hartlepool – 9/5
What I think will happen:
A couple of days ago, Tranmere were nearly even money here but the market has caught up to the fact that they look like one of the worst teams in the league at the moment. They haven’t even threatened to score since the first game of the season and come up against a Hartlepool side that are becoming more impressive to me as time goes on. I thought they’d lose last week but they got a deserved win instead and look more like a solid mid table team than the relegation battlers that I thought they may have been. I can see them winning here as well, they defend well in the league and have more than enough going forward to score and further pile the misery on Tranmere.
Tranmere 0-1 Hartlepool
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