Sky Bet Weekend Preview - 8th January
Accrington Stanley v Bury
Accrington host Bury in Friday night’s only match in Sky Bet League 2. The visiting Shakers are the 13/10 favourites for victory, Accrington can be backed at 2/1 and the draw is priced up at 12/5. Bury’s 1-0 defeat at Dagenham last weekend ended a mini-revival of two victories in a row following their previous eight-match winless run. Accrington won 2-1 at Exeter in their previous encounter but they are currently on a three-game run without a victory at home. Both teams have scored in all eight of Accrington’s last eight contests at the Store First Stadium you can get 4/6 for that sequence to extend to nine matches.
Both teams to score at 4/6.Top Tip:
Saturday
Burton Albion v Mansfield Town
Burton hope that claiming victory at home to Mansfield will see them climb to the top of the Sky Bet League 2 table. The Brewers need other results to go their way if they are to reach the summit. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has made a great start to life in charge at the Pirelli Stadium and his men are the 5/6 favourites for victory on Saturday. Mansfield are the 7/2 outsiders and the draw can be found at 12/5. Burton are on a five-match unbeaten run and have only suffered one defeat in their previous eight matches. The Brewers have kept a clean sheet in their last four games and the last three contests have seen under 2.5 goals in the match. It’s 4/6 for under 2.5 goals on Saturday and that’s where our money would be going.
Under 2.5 goals at 4/6.Top Tip:
Carlisle United v Cambridge United
Carlisle are 7/5 favourites for victory at home to Cambridge on Saturday. The Cumbrians sit just one place and two points above the relegation zone so need three points to boost their survival bid. Cambridge, who are on a high after being paired with Manchester United in the fourth round of the FA Cup, can be supported at 19/10 for the win and the draw is a 23/10 shot. Carlisle have been inconsistent at home lately with two wins and two draws from their last four games. Cambridge have also been hit and miss on the road. They’ve won one, drawn one and lost one of their last three games. Don’t be surprised if there isn’t much between these sides here.
The draw at 23/10.Top Tip:
Dagenham and Redbridge v Oxford United
Dagenham are looking to make it two wins on the spin when they host Oxford on Saturday. The Daggers beat Bury 1-0 last time out to move out of the relegation zone but they are 11/5 outsiders with the League sponsors for another home victory on Saturday. Oxford have been priced up as 5/4 favourites and the draw is available at 9/4. The U’s have only won one of their last five matches but that was the impressive 2-1 success at Plymouth in their previous game on the road. Oxford striker Danny Hylton has been priced up as the 9/2 favourite to open the scoring with Rhys Murphy and Jamie Cureton the top two Dagenham contenders at 6/1. Wes Burns netted the first goal of the match in Oxford’s 2-1 defeat at home to Cheltenham last weekend and the Bristol City loanee can be backed at 13/2.
Wes Burns to score first at 13/2.Top Tip:
Exeter City v Northampton Town
Exeter hope that victory at home to Northampton will see them move into the Sky Bet League 2 play-off places. The Grecians are the 6/5 favourites for the three points, Northampton can be backed at 9/4 and the draw is available at 9/4. Exeter are hoping to bounce back after a couple of defeats in a row but Northampton are in even worse form with only one victory in their last 11 games. Marc Richards is one of the few positives for the Cobblers and he’s netted in three of their previous four contests. Richards is the 9/2 favourite to score first on Saturday and Tom Nichols is the shortest priced Exeter player at 5/1.
Marc Richards to score first at 9/2.Top Tip:
Hartlepool United v Cheltenham Town
Bottom-of-the-table Hartlepool are looking for just a fourth Sky Bet League 2 win of the season when they host Cheltenham on Saturday. Their last league victory came at Exeter all the way back on October 11– some 12 matches ago. It’s therefore no surprise to see Hartlepool as the 19/10 outsiders for the win this weekend, Cheltenham are 7/5 favourites and the draw can be supported at 9/4. Cheltenham’s 2-1 win at Oxford last time out ended an eight-match run without a win and they were boosted by the arrival of three loan players from Liverpool ahead of that game. Jack Dunn is one of those Reds youngsters and he looks a good shout at 2/1 to make it two goals in two games for the Robins.
Jack Dunn to score anytime at 2/1.Top Tip:
Morecambe v Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere hope that victory at Morecambe on Saturday will take them out of the relegation zone. Rovers know that three points here, coupled with Carlisle failing to claim victory, will provide a big boost for the club. There isn’t much between the sides in the betting. Morecambe are narrow 8/5 favourites for the three points, Tranmere can be backed at 7/4 and the draw is an 11/5 chance. There haven’t been many goals in Morecambe games recently. All four of their last four matches have seen under 2.5 goals and you can get 4/6 about it being another low-scoring affair this weekend.
Under 2.5 goals at 4/6.Top Tip:
Newport County v Portsmouth
In-form Newport are the 21/20 favourites to claim a sixth win in seven games when they host Portsmouth, who are the 5/2 outsiders for the three points. The draw is priced up at 12/5. Newport haven’t lost a Sky Bet League 2 match at Rodney Parade since the 2-0 defeat against Wycombe on the opening day of the season. County team-mates Aaron O’Connor and Chris Zebroski are the joint 5/1 favourites in the first goalscorer betting. Portsmouth duo Ryan Taylor and Craig Westcarr are both 7/1 shots. Lee Minshull completed the scoring in Newport’s 2-1 win at Carlisle last time out and he’s 12/1 to net the final goal of the match again.
Lee Minshull to score last at 12/1.Top Tip:
Southend United v Plymouth Argyle
Southend are the 11/10 favourites to beat Plymouth in an intriguing clash between two sides with promotion ambitions. Plymouth have been priced up at 13/5 for the win and the draw is a 9/4 option. Southend enter this match on the back of a couple of draws and they are proving hard to beat with just one loss suffered in their last eight games. Plymouth are on a three-match winless run and were frustrated in the 0-0 draw at York last weekend as they played against 10 men for much of the match. Southend striker Barry Corr is the 9/2 favourite in the first goalscorer betting and Reuben Reid is the top Plymouth contender at 5/1. You can back both players to score in the game at 5/1.
Both Barry Corr and Reuben Reid to score in the match at 5/1.Top Tip:
Stevenage v AFC Wimbledon
AFC Wimbledon made headlines this week in their 2-1 FA Cup defeat at home to Liverpool and now return to Sky Bet League 2 action. The Dons are 19/10 to claim three points at Stevenage, who are the 7/5 favourites for the win. The draw is a 23/10 option. Stevenage are on a good run of form with three wins and a draw the outcomes in their last four matches. AFC Wimbledon have won four out of their last five League 2 games so this looks set to be a cracking contest. Stevenage’s Chris Beardsley and AFC Wimbledon’s Adebayo Akinfenwa share the first goalscorer favouritism at 11/2. Charlie Lee has scored in three of Stevenage’s last four games and he looks good value at 2/1 to find the back of the net this weekend.
Charlie Lee to score at anytime at 2/1.Top Tip:
Wycombe Wanderers v York City
Wycombe look to continue their fine season when they host York on Saturday. The Chairboys sit in the automatic promotion places just over halfway through the season and have been made 11/10 favourites for victory over the Minstermen. York are the 13/5 outsiders for the three points and the draw can be found at 9/4. Wycombe have only lost one of their last eight games but York are resurgent on a four-match unbeaten run. Two of those games have been draws and that could well be the outcome again in this clash.
The draw at 9/4.Top Tip: