Barnsley v Swindon Town
In-form Swindon are the favourites for the three points at Barnsley as they bid to strengthen their position in League 1’s leading pack. The Robins are unbeaten in their last six games and have been cut to 9/2 for promotion from 9/1 on the eve of the season. City, League 1’s third-highest scorers with 17 goals so far this season, are 3/1 to win a match featuring more than two goals. Jonathan Obika has caught the eye in recent weeks with five goals in four games since his Deadline Day move from Tottenham. He is 6/1 to score the opening goal. The Tykes have been beaten twice at Oakwell but are 7/4 here to add to their only home success against Gillingham on August 23. Conor Hourihane has been their big positive so far this term. He was named Sky Bet Player of the Month for August and has six goals to his name already. He is 9/1 to score the opening goal and 5/1 to score in a home win.
Top tip: Conor Hourihane to score anytime at 3/1
Bradford City v Port Vale
Bradford City are 11/10 favourites to end a run of three successive home defeats when they host Port Vale in Sky Bet League 1. The Bantams’ away form is the key to their current standing in the top-six but they are set to again be without top scorer James Hanson through injury. In his absence Phil Parkinson’s men could look to the experienced Aaron McLean to lead the attack and he is 9/4 to score in a home win. Vale have taken just three points from their last six league games but they all came in a 2-1 home win over Barnsley last weekend and they are 12/5 to pick up another maximum with the draw available at the same price. Their goal ace Tom Pope has notched 49 goals in the previous two seasons and opened the season with five goals in his opening four League and Cup games but has not found the net since. He is 11/8 to end that drought during the 90 minutes this weekend.
Top tip: Both teams to score at 8/13
Bristol City v MK Dons
The Sky Bet League 1 match of the day sees the top two clash at Ashton Gate with Bristol City favourites to claim their seventh win in their opening ten games. But Steve Cotterill’s men will need to be wary of the Dons, who are League 1’s top goal scorers with 21 and will not be short of backers at 12/5 for the win. The Robins have notched 18 goals themselves and it promises to be a challenging afternoon for the respective defences. It’s 11/4 for Bristol to win and both teams to score, or 5/1 for the Dons to do likewise with both teams netting. The draw with both sides scoring is available at 3/1. Aaron Wilbraham is City’s top scorer with eight so far and he has been cut further to 4/1 to finish the season as League 1’s top marksman. Benik Afobe poses the biggest single threat for Karl Robinson’s men with nine goals in League and Cup and he is 2/1 to continue that impressive sequence with a goal anytime this weekend.
Top tip: Both teams to score at 8/13
Chesterfield v Notts County
Notts County are 12/5 to claim a fourth successive draw at Chesterfield on Saturday, but the Spireites are the odds-on favourites for three points. Paul Cook’s side have stuttered a little with a draw and a defeat in their last two outings, seeing their odds for promotion drift out to 6/1, but they’re 4/5 to return to winning ways against the Magpies. Shaun Derry’s side are 100/30 to come away from the Proact Stadium with a win, and they’ll take hope from the fact Chesterfield are without a clean sheet in four games. The hosts are 6/4 to halt that unwanted run, while the visitors are 7/2 to keep out Chesterfield.
Top tip: Draw & both teams to score at 100/30
Coventry City v Preston North End
Preston are fancied to put back-to-back wins together for the first time in the league this season as they travel to Coventry on Saturday. Sky Bet make the visitors 13/10 favourites, with the Sky Blues rated 19/10 for a win following successive losses. They’re 8/15 to avoid defeat with either a win or a draw in the ‘Double Chance’ market, but each of Coventry’s three league losses this term have come by just one goal – Preston to win by exactly one is 3/1. Simon Grayson’s men have scored in every game so far this term, and they’re odds-on (5/6) to score the game’s opening goal.
Top tip: Over 2.5 goals at 10/11
Crawley Town v Yeovil Town
Yeovil are gaining support in the betting stakes ahead of their trip to Crawley this Saturday. The Glovers are slight underdogs at 13/8, with home advantage making Crawley 6/4 favourites, despite John Gregory’s side taking just one win in their last seven. In contrast, Yeovil have suffered just one defeat in their last seven in Sky Bet League 1. A draw is 23/10, and all three of Yeovil’s draws this term have finished up 1-1, which is 9/2 in Sky Bet’s ‘Correct Score’ market. Alternatively, 12 of the 18 League games featuring these two sides this term have seen two or fewer goals scored, and that trend is 4/6 to continue this weekend.
Top tip: Under 2.5 goals at 4/6
Crewe Alexandra v Colchester United
Colchester are Sky Bet’s 13/10 favourites for victory in the battle of the bottom two at the Alexandra Stadium, with Crewe 2/1 outsiders despite home advantage. Although propping up the Sky Bet League 1 table, both sides have shown encouraging signs in recent weeks, collecting four points apiece from their last three respective games. The Football League sponsor are expecting a cagey affair, with both teams to score odds-against at 6/5. Freddie Sears is the joint favourite in the first goalscorer betting at 11/2, having netted twice in the Us’ last three games, while Marcus Haber is considered the hosts’ biggest threat at 11/2.
Top tip: Both teams to score at 6/5
Leyton Orient v Rochdale
Leyton Orient are Sky Bet’s even-money favourites for Saturday’s clash with Rochdale at Brisbane Road. Dale are 11/4 outsiders as they look to move into the League 1 play-off zone with a third victory on the bounce, having beaten both Walsall and Coventry without conceding. Given that form, some might be tempted to back another Dale win to nil at 6/1, while Ian Henderson is 2/1 to score in a third successive game. Henderson is considered the visitors’ biggest threat at 13/2 in the first goalscorer betting, with the Os’ Darius Henderson and David Mooney sharing favouritism in the same market at 9/2 apiece.
Top tip – Ian Henderson and Darius Henderson both to score at 13/2
Oldham Athletic v Scunthorpe United
Oldham are Sky Bet’s favourites for Saturday’s clash with Scunthorpe at Boundary Park at even-money. The Football League sponsor give the Iron at 14/5 chance of a first away league victory of the season, while a draw, which was the outcome in both meetings between the sides last season, is 23/20. Backing spoils to be shared looks even more appealing given that the Latics have drawn each of their last three matches, taking their total to five this season, while they’ve also kept clean sheets in four of their last five games and don’t concede easily. Jonathan Forte heads the first goalscorer betting at 5/1, having already found the net five times this season, while Billy Kee is considered the visitors’ biggest threat at 13/2.
Top tip: Draw and under 2.5 goals at 11/4
Peterborough United v Fleetwood Town
Two of the pre-season promotion fancies Peterborough and Fleetwood meet at London Road with both desperate to regain some form. Posh have suffered back-to-back defeats at Yeovil and Gillingham and slipped five points behind leaders, while the Fleetwood have failed to win in any of their last six Sky Bet League 1 matches, although they did salvage a point courtesy of Stephen Dobbie’s late strike against leaders Bristol City on Saturday. Dobbie is an 11/4 shot to score in 90 minutes for 3/1 underdogs Fleetwood with the hosts odds-on shots to secure the win. Kyle Vassell is 4/1 to net the opener for Posh and 6/4 with the League sponsor to net in a home win.
Top tip: Draw and both teams to score at 100/30
Sheffield United v Gillingham
Sheffield United are odds-on favourites at 4/6 to see off 4/1 shots Gillingham in their Sky Bet League 1 clash on Saturday. The Blades slipped to 10th spot in the table after suffering a 5-2 defeat at Swindon last week. Gillingham, a point behind Saturday’s opponents, extended their unbeaten run to three matches with a goalless draw at home to Walsall. They also won the corresponding fixture at Bramall Lane last season 2-1 and a repeat of that scoreline is available here at 14/1. Prior to that meeting the previous four encounters in South Yorkshire ended in draws – a 14/5 shot this time around. Sheffield’s Michael Higdon and the Gills Cody McDonald are 15/2 to both score in 90 minutes.
Top tip: Sheffield United to win and both teams to score at 5/2
Walsall v Doncaster Rovers
Home advantage ensures Walsall are the slight favourites ahead of Doncaster’s trip to the Bescot Stadium in Sky Bet League 1 this Saturday. The Saddlers are 5/4 for only a second home win of the season in the league, with Doncaster given odds of 9/4 for a third win in four on the road, while a draw is also available at 9/4. Walsall are averaging just one goal a game at home so far this term, and they’re 13/8 to score exactly one and 13/2 to win 1-0. However, should the hosts win by three or more goals, they would leapfrog Rovers in the table, but such a feat is deemed quite unlikely at 11/1.
Top tip: Walsall to score exactly one goal at 13/8
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