Saturday League One and League Two Tips: Oppose Evatt's Bolton in 10/1 and 14/1 trebles | OneFootball

EFL League One & League Two

Bolton manager Ian Evatt has had the backing of the board this week

Alan Dudman previews the latest round of EFL fixtures and picks two double-figure priced Accas across League One and League Two...

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League One

Leg 1: Wycombe Wanderers v Bolton, Friday 19:45: Back Wycombe and Over 1.5 Goals @ 13/10

Bolton's woes are compounded by players missing - with their aerial centre-backs out (including Ricardo Santos) and have one of most suspect defences from set-pieces with nine conceded from 18 games. Add to that the pressure on Ian Evatt, with the fans unhappy at the form and style of play, although the 43-year-old has earned the backing of the club this week. Much to the disquiet of the faithful.

Although they are still in 8th position.

Wycombe have superb defence at home, but it's from set-pieces here that we can yield a profit as they've scored 12 in 19 from set-pieces, one of the best in League One, and should be able to justify their 5/6 home price, but we've also got the Over 1.5 which is worth considering, and that has copped in four of their last six.

It's hard to fancy Bolton on their performance last weekend when losing to possession kings Wigan, and Wycombe at W6 D1 L1 are taken to him.

KEY OPTA STAT: Wycombe Wanderers have won five of their eight league games against Bolton Wanderers (L3), with each of those victories witnessing them also keep a clean sheet in the process.

Leg 2: Burton Albion v Exeter City, Saturday 15:00: Back The Draw Match Odds 90 @ 17/10

Burton don't win many (just once home and once away) and in a topsy-turvy season that saw Mark Robinson last just 14 games as manager, the board have gone for experience with 53-year-old Gary Bowyer named as the head coach this week.

Whether this is a sea change from Burton's plans to focus on youth and potential we'll see, but Bowyer firstly has to be make them hard to beat.

They earned a terrific point against Leyton Orient last Saturday in a game where they created just one big chance and an xG output of just 0.34.

Exeter have netted just seven times away from St James Park and have had endured a brutal run of games against Birmingham, Wrexham, Barnsley and Wycombe of late, but are winless across their last six league games (D2 L4), last enduring a longer such run between September and December 2023 (13 games).

I don't see many goals here and backing the 90 mins draw at 17/10 looks the sensible option to negate any late goal.

KEY OPTAT STAT: After losing just one of their first eight Football League games against Exeter City (W5 D2), Burton Albion lost both of their matches against the Grecians 1-0 last season.

Leg 3: Northampton Town v Charlton Athletic, Saturday 15:00 Back Northampton Double Chance @ 4/5

The brave new dawn of Nathan Jones at Charlton is not happening and they seemed to be locked in a cage of despair - certainly in terms of goals. They've scored just 18 in 19 this season, and only five teams have scored fewer. It's not the stuff of a promotion-chasing side.

A friend of mine attended last week's 0-0 at home to Mansfield, which he described as an utterly dreadful game. The Addicks clearly lack any sort of guile and creativity in midfield and there is no way Jones' side deserve to be odds-on to win here at 19/20.

I rarely get involved with Northampton, but they've won four at home and drawn twice, and backing them on the Double Chance against a side that are struggling to create a chance is an appealing bet at 5/6 with the two results running for us. The Under 2.5 Goals price too at 3/4 looks a bit of a standout too.

Northampton are unbeaten across their last four home league games (W3 D1), keeping three clean sheets during that time.

KEY OPTA STAT: Charlton have won just one of their last nine league games (D5 L3), failing to score more than one goal in any of their last six matches.

League Two

Leg 1: Notts County v Bradford City, Saturday 15:00: Back Notts County @ 13/10

Both Notts County and Bradford are level on points with 28 in mid-table and County's last win in the league was back in October with a 1-0 win against Harrogate.

Neither are in great nick, and County's struggles were laid bare last weekend with a poor performance at Salford, with manager Stuart Maynard describing it as unacceptable. They were thoroughly outplayed by Salford and Cole Stockton.

Although Bradford earned a 1-0 win against Swindon last Saturday, and a match that made the headlines for another Ian Holloway post-game rant, it was a meek performance from the Bradford who didn't create much in a scrappy game and got the win after winning a loose ball.

I don't expect this to be pretty either, as Notts County have conceded just five goals in total across their home League Two games this season - the lowest tally in the division, but that can work in our favour and hopefully they can nick a goal to win it.

KEY OPTA STAT: Notts County have lost just one of their last nine league games against Bradford City (W5 D3), scoring 3+ goals in five of those matches.

Leg 2: Port Vale v Carlisle, Saturday 15:00: Back The Draw @ 27/10

Port Vale have failed to win any of their last four league games (D3 L1), whilst the Valiants have only scored three goals in total across their last six outings since a 3-2 victory over AFC Wimbledon in early November and the draw is obvious here at the attractive price of 27/10

Three of those draws were 0-0, 1-1 and 1-1 and the first of that sequence was at Bromley last weekend and a first half performance described by Darren Moore as "the worst 45 minutes of the season". Moore seems to be saying the same things every week, that his team will learn, and while not a disaster in second, the goals have dried up.

They did respond with an improved second half performance but Carlisle might fancy their chances. The caveat of course is the Cumbrians are bottom - and Port Vale could turn out to be a gift at a shade of odds-on for a top versus bottom game, but Carlisle have drawn three of their last four - all Under 2.5 Goals and those points were against Bromley, Doncaster and Crewe.

KEY OPTA STAT: Port Vale have lost just one of their last five league games against Carlisle United (W2 D2), keeping three clean sheets across that time.

Leg 3: Accrington Stanley v Salford City, Saturday 15:00: Back BTTS 'Yes' @ 4/5

Salford might just be starting to pick up. "If you look at our performances of late, I think they've been tremendous and I certainly think we've deserved a lot more from them than we have," said manager Karl Robinson following their dismantling of Notts County on Saturday.

Cole Stockton's double that day was his fifth in five games and the poor finishing and stupid mistakes that were littering their performances back in October has changed.

Accrington's away form with goals scored and against is F18 A22 all six of their previous games (including one in FA Cup) have hit the Over 2.5 Goals and BTTS bets with a trio of 2-2 and a 5-2.

Accrington have won just two of their last nine home league games (D5 L2), whilst in that time they've both scored and conceded exactly 12 goals in total and they can be opposed here, but we'll got for goals and the 4/5 looks more than acceptable for BTTS.

Now read more tips and previews from Betfair's team of football writers for this weekend

Recommended bets

You can back Alan's League One treble for Friday and Saturday 0.5pt @ 10/1

You can back Alan's League Two treble 0.5pt @ 14/1

Multiples P & L

2024-2025: 0.00pts *Advised to 0.5pt staked unless stated otherwise