Barnsley v Bolton: Tips, Predictions and Odds

Fourth plays third in League One as Barnsley host Bolton Wanderers in a Roses battle to savour between two promotion hopefuls at Oakwell.

Barnsley v Bolton tips and predictions

Over 2.5 Goals & Both Teams To Score @ 11/10

Oakwell stages a crunch promotion clash between Barnsley and Bolton, two sides in the thick of the play-off places but hoping to secure a spot in the top two.

Both clubs have pedigree as well as form, and it promises to be a keenly-contested affair between two good teams.

It was tight when they met at the Toughsheet Community Stadium a month ago, a match which ended 1-1 with Wanderers’ Zak Ashworth cancelling out Devante Cole’s opener.

And matches between the teams are historically close - five of the last eight have ended in draws.

The stakes are high and tension will be in the air but there may well be plenty of goals with both teams to score and over 2.5 goals at 11/10 a suggested way in to this game.

Since beating Wycombe 1-0 at the end of November, the Tykes have played 17 games and both teams have scored in 16 of them.

On Saturday they won 4-2 at Wycombe, their third straight win, none achieved with a clean sheet.

They are averaging just over three goals per game and boast a divisional low of just four matches which have produced one goal or less. 17-goal Cole takes all the plaudits, but there are goals from everywhere in Neill Collins’ side.

Bolton’s matches are averaging just under three goals per game.

Adam Phillips to score anytime @ 10/3

Tykes’ chief Collins will be hoping Jon McAtee recovers from a back injury to add another option to his frontline, though he isn’t short of goalscorers at the moment.

Cole has been lethal all season while Sam Cosgrove, in and out of the side this season, has got two in three and should start again.

Herbie Kane has got eight goals while his midfield partner Adam Phillips has got six and appeals in the anytime scorer betting at 10/3.

The Liverpool academy graduate scored both goals in Barnsley’s 2-1 win over Leyton Orient three weeks ago and another couple in the 2-1 win over Derby last week.

The 26-year-old averages 1.5 shots per game and Barnsley do create plenty of chances - only Peterborough and Portsmouth create more.

Bolton to Score In First Half @ 11/10

No team in League One has scored more first-half goals than Bolton, who can maintain that record by finding the Barnsley net in the first 45 at Oakwell.

Ian Evatt’s men have notched an impressive 31 first-half goals during their promotion push.

Top scorer Dion Charles is close to a return and may be involved which means the pressure is on incumbent strikers Aaron Collins and Victor Adeboyejo to keep hitting the target.

Barnsley are 6/4 to win the game and are in better form than their guests, who since winning 4-1 at Carlisle at the end of January have won just three of nine in all competitions and two of those were against 19th-placed Cambridge.

They haven’t won at a team in the third tier’s current top nine and Barnsley are confident after three straight wins.

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Barnsley v Bolton odds

Barnsley - 6/4
Draw - 12/5
Bolton - 9/5

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.