The SkyBet Football League is back to a full compliment of fixtures this coming Saturday, so, Ben’s Bets is back to a trio of selections rather than last week’s double.
The shock Hartlepool win at Exeter is proof, if proof were needed that anything can happen in football, but I guess that’s all part of the fun.
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We start in the Championship and I’m kicking off with Middlesbrough, who make the journey to the south coast to face Brighton.
Teams, like Hartlepool last week are clearly not put off by long journey’s as they were before, so this is one purely down to form.
‘Boro are sitting nicely in 5th place in the table and have won three of their last five, drawing the other two. They travel well this season, too, an away win percentage of 60% is only bettered by top of the table Norwich.
On the flip side, Brighton have struggled of late to find that killer instinct.
A run of four draws on the bounce could go either way, but facing a side of the Teesider’s quality might be too much to handle.
Albion have won just once on home soil this season and with ‘Boro in a winning habit I think the price on an away win is cracking value.
Middlesbrough to beat Brighton at 2/1
Secondly, in League One, I’m throwing in a home favourite in Preston North End.
They’re at home to Port Vale and I think they’ll get all three points.
North End have won three on the spin, are one of only three teams not to lose at home this season and have already scored 12 goals on their own turf this campaign.
Meanwhile, Vale may have had a convincing win last weekend, but that may well be down to a poor showing from their opposition rather than their ability to cut teams open.
Tom Pope is in scoring form so I wouldn’t put it past Vale scoring, but a side like Preston with all their resources and a mean home record should notch two or three of their own.
Preston to beat Port Vale at 4/6
Finally in League Two and I’m putting in top of the table Wycombe for their home match against Wimbledon.
Not the most imaginative ‘tip’ you may ever have heard but I still think there is value here.
Firstly, Wimbledon are no push overs and find themselves in 10th, but Wycombe are top for a reason.
Their +9 goal difference is the best in the league and they’ve only lost once all season.
Wimbledon have indifferent form on the road; winning two, drawing two and losing two.
It’s a tight division and Wycombe could start their bid to climb away from others in and around them after Burton and Bury both lost games recently.
Wycombe are the form side of the top three and that’s good enough for me.
Wycombe to beat Wimbledon at Evens.
Three selections in the bag and two home favourites might suggest we’ve found an accumulator with no value, but a £5 treble still returns exactly £50 that’s combined odds of 9/1.
Not bad at all, as always, if you’d rather bet an amount more suited to your comfort level, then feel free.
Yeovil Special.
A returning former Glover set to spoil the day for Yeovil or will a new defender and two returning from suspension mean Yeovil will turn their fortunes around.
Which side do you fall on?
If you’re a negative so and so, Andy Williams can be backed to score against his former employees at any time at 7/4.
But we’re far more confident here at YTFC.net and we’re tempted by the ‘Yeovil to keep a clean sheet’ market.
A new defender in the bag this week as Ryan Inniss joins from Crystal Palace and a return from suspension for both Ben Nugent and Seth Twumasi should make the Glovers far more formidable at the back.
With either Chris Weale or Artur Krysiak returning in goal, a clean sheet would go a long way for the confidence of the Yeovil players and supporters against a high flying Swindon side.
So, the Yeovil special bet is for a green and white clean sheet, available at 3/1.
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