Sky Bet - Weekend Preview

There were contrasting fortunes for this pair on the opening weekend of the new campaign, with Burton Albion starting their bid to get over last season’s play-off disappointment with victory at Oxford while Dagenham and Redbridge went down 3-0 against Morecambe. Dagenham, though, showed their prowess in front of goal in midweek in the Cup and also have a decent record in this fixture, having lost only once at Burton before and taking four points from them last season. Both teams come into the game with reasons for optimism but the home win is 8/11 here, with the visitors 15/4 and the draw 13/5. It’s 25/1 that both teams score in both halves for fans expecting a goal-fest.

Top tip: Both teams to score at even-money.

Cheltenham Town started the season with a 1-0 victory, Accrington Stanley with a 1-0 defeat, although both produced solid performances against higher-league opposition in the Cup in midwek. It’s 11/2 for another 1-0 Cheltenham win here, with the hosts a shade of odds-on in the match market at 19/20. Stanley are 14/5 and the draw 5/2. If the low-scoring nature of both sides’ opening-day encounters has caught your eye, how about a punt on under 2.5 goals at 8/11?

Top tip: One or both teams not to score at 5/6.

Bury just shade favouritism in this one at 8/5, with Hartlepool United at 13/8, suggesting it should be a tough one to call. The draw is 23/10. These sides each suffered narrow 1-0 defeats in their season openers, but Bury will take more encouragement from their performances in the Cup in midweek. Both 1-0 scorelines are 7/1 shots here, while if you think both sides will once again fail to find the net that’s 9/1. Bury won both clashes between these two last season to nil. Another such victory is a 7/2 chance.

Top tip: Draw at half-time at even-money.

Luton Town celebrated their return to the Sky Bet Football League with victory at Carlisle United, and are now the sponsors’ joint 7/1 favourites (alongside Portsmouth) to win the division. The Hatters are odds-on at 19/20 for another three points here, with the draw 5/2 and the Dons 14/5. AFC Wimbledon drew 2-2 with Shrewsbury in their opening game of the campaign; both teams got on the scoresheet despite Cup defeats in midweek and it’s 5/6 that both score at least a goal in this match.

Top tip: Both teams to score in the first half at 4/1.

Two sides here looking to get their first points of the season on the board after 1-0 defeats last weekend. Mansfield Town are the side we rate more likely to get three points here at 6/5, with Oxford 23/10 and the draw the same price. Oxford United finished only one place outside the play-off spots last season and beat Mansfield 3-0 at home and 3-1 away. Oxford are 12/1 to win 3-0, 3-1 or 3-2 in the Correct Score Group Betting and it’s 13/2 that their Danny Hylton nabs the first goal of the game. For the home side, Liam Hearn (11/2) is considered the man most likely to strike first.

Top tip: Over 3.5 goals at 11/4.

Morecambe will go into this one with some confidence after kicking off the season in style with a 3-0 win over Dagenham and Redbridge, while Newport County look to bounce back from a 2-0 defeat. The Shrimps are 13/10 to win this one, with Newport 2/1 and the draw 23/10. Morecambe are 7/2 to win on the handicap giving up a one-goal start. Kevin Ellison, who scored first for the home team last weekend, is a 13/2 to get the first goal in this game, while it’s Aaron O’Connor who is considered the most likely opening scorer for the visitors at 6/1.

Top tip: Two first-half goals at 7/2.

What a game for Plymouth Argyle to kick off their home campaign in Sky Bet League 2, a big Devon derby against local rivals Exeter City. It was the visitors, though, who had the better of this fixture last season winning both home and away against the Pilgrims. Plymouth are 21/20 favourites to bounce back from defeat to newly-promoted Cambridge by claiming local bragging rights, with the draw 23/10 and Exeter 13/5. Reuben Reid, who already looks a likely candidate to be among the division’s top scorers after notching two in the Cup in midweek, is the 7/2 favourite to be the first goalscorer, but away fans will be pinning their hopes on the likes of Graham Cummins (15/2) and Jimmy Keohane (8/1).

Top tip: Over 1.5 goals in the first half at 9/4.

Cambridge United celebrated their return to the Sky Bet Football League after a nine-year absence with victory over Plymouth on Saturday, and they now face another tough test at Portsmouth. The hosts are even-money for victory, with Cambridge 13/5 to record a second win of the campaign. The draw is 12/5. Under 2.5 goals is 8/11 and that bet would have been landed in both these teams’ opening games of the season. A goal-less draw comes in at 17/2, but those expecting the keepers to be kept busy might want to consider the 20/1 that both sides score in both halves.

Top tip: Both teams to score in the first half at 4/1.

Two sides looking to return to Sky Bet League 1 after relegation last term meet again early in the season. Tranmere Rovers won both of their encounters last season, but it’s Shrewsbury Town who are favourites for this one at 10/11 with the visitors 3/1 and 5/2 the draw. Both sides scored late equalisers on the opening weekend. Shrewsbury are 4/6 to score the last goal here and Tranmere 6/4. The home side’s James Collins is the 7/2 favourite to notch the first goal of the game, while Kayode Odejayi is considered the most likely man to find the net first for the visitors. He’s a 15/2 chance to be the first goalscorer.

Top tip: First goal to be scored after the 80th minute – 18/1.

Two teams who kicked off the campaign with 1-0 victories clash here with the hosts are favoured to make it two from two, after a fair effort against Walsall in the Cup in midweek . A Southend United win is 23/20, while the draw is 23/10 and Stevenage 12/5. Southend are 11/4 to win by exactly one goal, with Stevenage 7/2 in the same market, while it’s 5/6 that both teams find the net during the match. Lee Barnard for the home side is the 11/2 market-leader to be first goalscorer, while the shortest-priced men for the visitors in the same market are Calvin Zola and Adam Marriott at 7/1.

Top tip: 1-1, 2-2, or 3-3 at 7/2. 

Another game that looks tough to call this early in the season, with Wycombe Wanderers 6/4 for the victory and Carlisle United 9/5. The draw is 9/4. Wycombe started their campaign with a 2-0 triumph at Newport, and a repeat of that scoreline is 10/1. A score draw is 100/30, while it’s 13/8 for the first half to end goalless. Wycombe were far from disgraced in going down narrowly to Millwall in the Cup in midweek and similar comments to the visitors, who held off Derby for over an hour on Monday. With both teams looking reasonably tight defensively, under 2.5 goals may make some appeal at 4/6.

Top tip: Under 2.5 goals at 4/6.

York City were moments away from starting their season with victory at Tranmere before a stoppage-time equaliser forced them to settle for a point and they also suffered late agony in the Cup in midweek. They’re a shade of odds against at 23/20 to get their first win under their belts this season, with Northampton Town 12/5 and the draw 23/10. York are 9/4 to be leading at both half-time and full time, while it’s 11/10 for there to be over 2.5 goals in this one. Lawson D’Ath scored twice in the visitors’ shock Cup success over Wolves in midweek and he’s a 4/1 chance to find the net again at any stage of this game.

Top tip: Draw and both teams to score at 7/2.