Sky Bet preview - 30th January 2015
Accrington Stanley v Northampton Town
Accrington are 9/5 chances for victory at home to Northampton on Saturday. The visiting Cobblers are the narrow favourites at 7/5 for the win and the draw is available at 12/5. Stanley lost 1-0 at home to Bury on Tuesday night to make it an unfortunate run of three defeats in a row. Northampton have the exact opposite record with three victories on the spin! All of those wins have come to nil for Chris Wilder’s men and Accrington have only scored twice in their last five matches. The Cobblers look the side to get with here and they can be backed at evens to score the last goal of the game.
Top tip: Northampton to score last at 10/11.
Burton Albion v Bury
Burton have an outside hope of going top of Sky Bet League 2 on Saturday. The Brewers need to beat Bury and hope both Wycombe and Shrewsbury fail to pick up victories. Burton are Sky Bet’s 7/5 favourites for the win at the Pirelli Stadium, Bury can be supported at 19/10 and the draw is on offer at 23/10. The Brewers are unbeaten in eight matches but Bury will provide a tough test after two wins on the spin this week, including Tuesday night’s 1-0 success at Accrington. Burton’s last two contests have finished 1-1 and 5/1 is the price for that scoreline to be repeated this weekend.
Top tip: A 1-1 draw at 5/1.
Carlisle United v Mansfield Town
Both Carlisle and Mansfield are hoping that three points on Saturday will give them a vital boost in the Sky Bet League 2 survival fight. Carlisle dropped into the relegation zone after Dagenham’s 1-1 draw with Cambridge on Tuesday night and Mansfield are just one point better off. Hosts Carlisle have been made the 11/8 favourites for the win this weekend, Mansfield can be supported at 2/1 and the draw is an option at 9/4. The Cumbrians have won only one of their last five matches but Mansfield are on a slightly worse run with just one victory in their previous six games. The draw is the result that keeps both teams searching for a three-point haul.
Top tip: The draw at 11/5.
Dagenham & Redbridge v Cheltenham Town
Dagenham want three points at home to Cheltenham on Saturday to pull further away from the Sky Bet League 2 relegation zone. Cheltenham are Sky Bet’s 8/5 favourites for the win, Dagenham can be backed at 7/4 and the draw is available at 11/5. The Daggers drew 1-1 with Cambridge in midweek to move ahead of Carlisle and out of the bottom two. That result made it six matches in a row for Dagenham going under the 2.5 goals line. Nine of Cheltenham’s last 10 matches have also seen under 2.5 goals so have a close look at the 4/6 on offer for below that mark this weekend.
Top tip: Under 2.5 goals at 4/6.
Exeter City v Tranmere Rovers
Exeter host Tranmere on Saturday with both sides having objectives at different ends of the Sky Bet League 2 table for the rest of the season. The Grecians are on the hunt for a play-off place so it’s no surprise to see them as the 11/8 favourites for victory at St James Park. Tranmere’s target is survival but despite the gap in points there isn’t much between the two sides in the betting and they are no bigger than 2/1 for three points in Devon. The draw can be backed at 23/10 too. Exeter are hoping to bounce back after a couple of defeats in a row at home. Tranmere’s best form has been found at Prenton Park but they do have one win, two draws and one defeat from their last four away matches. With the emphasis upon them to get going from the start, Rovers provide an interesting option at 5/4 to score the first goal of the game.
Top tip: Tranmere to score first at 5/4.
Hartlepool United v Plymouth Argyle
Bottom-of-the-table Hartlepool need to follow up the 2-0 win over Cheltenham in their last home game with another three points against Plymouth at Victoria Park. Pools are nine points adrift at the foot of the Sky Bet League 2 table and new boss Ronnie Moore needs improved performances to translate into points. Hartlepool are the 12/5 outsiders for the win on Saturday, Plymouth can be backed at 6/5 and the draw is available at 11/5. Plymouth come into this contest on a six-match winless run so there is pressure on Argyle ahead of this very long trip north. The Devon outfit’s last two away games have finished 0-0 and you can get 7/1 for this match to also finish without a goal.
Top tip: A 0-0 draw at 7/1.
Luton Town v Cambridge United
Cambridge take on Luton on Saturday in their final match before the big FA Cup trip to Manchester United next week. The U’s drew 0-0 with the Premier League big guns last Friday night to secure a replay and followed that result up with a 1-1 draw against Dagenham in midweek. Despite their heroics against the big boys, Cambridge are the 100/30 outsiders for three points this weekend, Luton are odds-on for the victory at 17/20 and the draw can be found at 12/5. Luton have been inconsistent lately with just one win in their last six matches, a run that featured four draws. Three of those matches have finished 1-1 and 5/1 is on offer for that scoreline to be the end result in this Kenilworth Road contest.
Top tip: A 1-1 draw at 5/1.
Morecambe v AFC Wimbledon
Only one point and one place separates Morecambe and AFC Wimbledon in the Sky Bet League 2 table ahead of Saturday’s meeting between the two teams. There isn’t much between them in the betting either, with hosts Morecambe are priced up as the marginal 8/5 favourites for victory, AFC Wimbledon can be backed at 7/4 and the draw is available at 11/5. Morecambe, who sit ahead of the Dons by that one point and by one place in 11th, have drawn their last four matches in a row and all seven of their previous seven games have produced under 2.5 goals. The visiting Dons beat Accrington 2-1 last time out to end a three-match losing run but the top tip has to be for an eighth Morecambe match on the spin to feature under 2.5 goals.
Top tip: Under 2.5 goals at 4/6.
Newport County v Shrewsbury Town
This looks like a cracking contest with sixth-placed Newport hosting Shrewsbury, who sit just one point off the top of Sky Bet League 2 in second. The visiting Shrews have been made the 13/10 favourites for victory, Newport can be supported at 11/5 and the draw is an option at 9/4. Newport have been beaten in their last couple of matches but both of those were on the road and the home record of the Exiles is very impressive. County haven’t lost at Rodney Parade in the league since the opening day of the season and they have scored in all 13 of their home games since that defeat to Wycombe. Shrewsbury enter this match on the back of two wins on the spin at home but their away record isn’t as impressive with three defeats suffered in their previous six outings. Newport’s goal threat is clear and the hosts can be backed at 11/10 to open the scoring.
Top tip: Newport to score first at 5/4.
Southend United v York City
Southend hope to consolidate their place in the Sky Bet League 2 play-offs by making it three wins on the spin when they host York on Saturday afternoon. The Shrimpers are made odds-on favourites at 3/4 with the Football League sponsors for the victory, York can be supported at 18/5 and the draw is a 13/5 shot. Southend are on a great run of form with only one defeat suffered in their previous 11 matches, although it’s interesting to note that all three of their last three home games have finished 0-0. York have been a stronger side on their travels this season and they narrowly lost 1-0 to leaders Wycombe in their last away game. A goalless draw to make it four matches in a row at Roots Hall without anyone finding the back of the net has to be the call.
Top tip: A 0-0 draw at 8/1.
Stevenage v Oxford United
Stevenage will be looking to climb back into the Sky Bet League 2 play-off places when they host Oxford on Saturday. Graham Westley’s men lost 3-2 at second-placed Shrewsbury last weekend to end a six-match unbeaten run but it’s no surprise to see them as 23/20 favourites for the win in this match. Visitors Oxford can be found at 9/4 for the victory and the draw is a fraction longer at 23/10. Oxford needed a late, late equaliser from young striker James Roberts to draw 2-2 with Exeter last weekend and it’s only one win in eight games for Michael Appleton’s side. Oxford have though scored twice in both of their last two games and Stevenage have scored twice in three matches on the spin. There should be plenty of action and over 3.5 goals can be backed at 5/2.
Top tip: Over 3.5 goals at 5/2.
Wycombe Wanderers v Portsmouth
Sky Bet League 2 leaders Wycombe look to keep their place at the top of the table with three points at home to Portsmouth on Saturday. The Chairboys are the 17/20 favourites for the win, Pompey can be supported at 3/1 and the draw is an option at 5/2. Wycombe won both of their last two home games 1-0 and it’s seven Wanderers matches in a row now featuring under 2.5 goals. Portsmouth could really do with victory to end an eight-match winless run and five of their last six games have come in at under that 2.5 goals mark. It’s hard not to again take a look at under 2.5 goals this weekend at 8/11.
Top tip: Under 2.5 goals at 8/11.
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