Sky Bet - Weekend preview 04/09

Luton Town are 5/4 favourites with Football League sponsor Sky Bet as they look to record a second victory of the campaign when they play host to Plymouth Argyle (21/10) on Saturday lunchtime. The two sides haven’t met in the league since the 2006/7 season, when Argyle did the double – winning this particular fixture 2-1. A repeat scoreline can be backed at 10/1, with a 1-1 draw the most popular outcome priced at 9/2. Luton are 5/2 to be leading at half-time and full-time, while over 2.5 goals is 11/10. Town’s Paul Benson and Mark Cullen are both 5/1 chances to score the first goal of the game, with Reuben Reid considered the most likely Argyle player to open the scoring at 11/2.

Top Tip: Over 2.5 goals at 11/10

 

Accrington Stanley are marginal favourites at 8/5 with Sky Bet to pick up all three points when they host Tranmere Rovers on Saturday. The draw is considered the outsider of the three outcomes at 11/5, with 1-1 the most popular correct score at 9/2. Stanley are still awaiting their first win of the season, having drawn one and lost four so far, while Rovers have already recorded a couple of league victories. Either side to win to nil can be backed at 7/2, with both teams to score and the game to end in a draw is priced at 3/1.

Top Tip: Both teams to score and game to end a draw 3/1

 

Carlisle are 13/8 to record their first win of the campaign when they host AFC Wimbledon (6/4) on Saturday. The Cumbrian outfit dismissed manager Graham Kavanagh following last weekend’s heavy defeat at Cambridge and are 100/30 to win this game by exactly one goal. AFC Wimbledon can be backed at 3/1 to be ahead at half-time and full-time, while a 2-1 away win is priced at 9/1. Carlisle have only scored two goals from five outings in the league so far and are 9/4 to draw a blank in this match.

Top Tip: No goalscorer 9/1

 

Dagenham & Redbridge are 9/5 favourites with Sky Bet ahead of their weekend clash with Northampton Town. The away win is priced at 6/4 by the Football League sponsor, with the draw a 2/1 chance. Dagenham come into this one on the back of a 3-3 epic at Oxford United and the same scoreline can be backed at 80/1. The Cobblers beat Exeter City 1-0 at home last weekend and Chris Wilder’s men are 3/1 to win to nil here. Over 3.5 goals is available at 100/30 and exactly four goals in the game is priced at 6/1.

Top Tip: Over 3/5 goals in the match at 100/30

 

Exeter and Mansfield are 13/8 each of two heading into this weekend’s clash at St James’ Park. Football League sponsor Sky Bet make the draw a 21/10 chance, with 1-1 the most popular correct score at 9/2. Both sides suffered narrow defeats last weekend, managing just one goal between them, and under 1.5 goals here is 2/1. Either side to draw a blank can also be backed at 2/1, while 0-0 at half-time is the favourite score at 13/8. The corresponding fixture last season ended 1-0 to the home side and that outcome is a 13/2 shot.

Top Tip: Back the 1-1 draw at 9/2

 

Hartlepool host Shrewsbury on Saturday and the away side are strong favourites with Sky Bet at 6/5 to claim all three points. Micky Mellon’s Shrews have started their League 2 campaign with three wins from five starts, whereas Hartlepool, who are 12/5 for the win, sit 20th with three points heading into the weekend. The clubs haven’t met since the 2012/13 League 1 campaign, when both games ended in a score draw, and it is 2/1 that they share the spoils again. Both teams to score is a 5/6 chance, while 1-1 is the most popular correct score at 9/2. Shrewsbury have found the net in every game of the season so far, are 3/1 to win by three goals or more.

Top Tip: Game to finish a draw at 2/1

 

Two of League 2’s fast-starters clash on Saturday when Morecambe, 6/4 favourites for the win, play host to Cheltenham (7/4). The draw is priced up at 11/5 and a 1-1 draw is the most popular correct score at 9/2. Town are unbeaten in their last four meetings with the Shrimps, winning three of them and keeping a clean sheet on every occasion, and Mark Yates’ side are 4/1 to win to nil. Morecambe line up on the back of a 2-1 defeat at Tranmere but they won their first four games of the season are 3/1 to take this one by exactly one goal.

Top Tip: Both teams not to score at evens

 

Southend are red-hot 4/5 favourites with Football League sponsor Sky Bet ahead of their Saturday clash with Oxford (18/5). Phil Brown’s well-touted team have won two of their five league games so far and face an Oxford side still looking for their first victory of the campaign. Southend to win 1-0 is the most popular correct score at 9/2, while 1-1 is 5/1 and a 2-0 away win can be backed at 22/1. The home side have only scored one goal in their last three games and are 3/1 to draw a blank in this one.

Top Tip: Both teams to score in the first half 7/2

 

York are still searching for their first win of the League 2 campaign after five successive draws and are 21/10 outsiders to end that wait at Stevenage on Saturday. The hosts, who have won two and drawn one of their five games so far, are 13/10 to make home advantage count with a victory while the draw can be backed at 2/1. Stevenage’s two wins this season have come by a single goal and it’s 3/1 they repeat the trick this time. Given that neither side has shown much attacking threat so far, it’s no surprise to see under 2.5 goals priced up at 8/13 (over is 6/5) while you can get 5/6 on both teams finding the net. 

Top Tip: Under 1.5 goals in the match at 7/4

 

An exciting match could well be on the cards when Wycombe host fellow high-flyers Bury on Saturday and the bookies find it tough to split the teams. The visitors, who lie sixth in the table, are 7/5 favourites to claim their second away win of the league campaign while fifth-placed Wycombe are 19/10 and the draw is 21/10. Bury won their last game 2-1 and the same result here is priced up at 17/2 and any victory by one goal for the Shakers is 3/1. Both sides have only conceded four goals each  so under 2.5 to be scored in this clash is 8/11 (over is evens) while both teams to score is 8/11 (evens they don’t).

 

Top Tips: Bury to score the first goal at 10/11

 

Burton are flying high in League Two with four wins and a draw from their five games so they are understandably favourites at 6/5 to claim another three points against Portsmouth on Sunday lunchtime. The visitors have enjoyed a positive start to the campaign as well, losing just once, and will have plenty of punters backing them at 23/10 while the draw is available at 21/10. Despite both sides’ good form, they’ve only managed 13 goals between them and only shipped six combined, meaning the goalless draw is quite short at 15/2, under 2.5 goals is regarded very possible at 8/13 (over is 6/5) and both teams to score is 5/6. Burton’s Stuart Beavon is favourite to score the first goal at 5/1 and 11/8 to net anytime while Lucas Akins is next in the running at 6/1 and 7/4. For Portsmouth, Ryan Taylor is the most dangerous threat at 13/2 and 2/1 in the respective markets.

 

Top Tip: Draw and under 2.5 goals in the match 5/2

 

Newport head into the Monday night fixture with Cambridge as the marginal 6/4 favourites to pick up just their second League 2 victory of the season. The visitors, who have managed two wins and a draw from their five games so far, are 13/8 to claim all three points while the draw is available at 23/10. Cambridge are one of the highest scoring sides in the division with 10 goals and it’s 5/4 they manage two or more in this one and 9/2 they net three or more. Over 2.5 goals in the match can be backed at 4/5 (under is 10/11) while both teams to score is as short as 8/13 (6/5 they don’t) while a goalless draw is regarded unlikely at 11/1. 

Top tip: Cambridge to score two goals or more 5/4