EFL expert Gab Sutton has assessed this weekend's action across League One and League Two and picked out his best bets including an 11/2 selection.
Gab Sutton's EFL League One & League Two tips & prediction
- Burton Albion v Huddersfield Town - Half-Time/Full-Time: Draw/Huddersfield @ 4/1
- Reading v Bradford City - Bradford & Under 2.5 Goals @ 11/2
- Cheltenham Town to beat Accrington Stanley @ 2/1
- Gillingham to beat Newport County @ Evens
- Grimsby Town v Shrewsbury Town - Grimsby to win -1 handicap @ 7/4
As an accumulator, pays at 1560/1
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Half-Time/Full-Time: Draw/Huddersfield @ 4/1
Burton Albion v Huddersfield Town
I think a lot of Burton and Huddersfield’s games this season will be decided in the second half.
The Brewers have been admirably competitive, and after two eye-catching away wins at Leicester and Plymouth Argyle, find themselves 7th in the table, banking 12 points from their first eight games – they may come in handy later in the season for the ante-post relegation favourites.
Gary Bowyer’s side possess a weak bench, however, due to their financial limitations, and have conceded more goals (six) in the last 15 minutes of matches than any other team in League One.
Meanwhile, visitors Huddersfield can flip a game by bringing Ethan Brierley, Lynden Gooch, Derensili Sanches Fernandes, Ashley Fletcher, Lasse Sorensen, Bali Mumba and Archie Collins off the bench – all the type of players who would be starters for other sides.
As such, I think Burton will be solid enough in the first half, and then picked off in the second as legs tire and the 4/1 visitors grow stronger.
Bradford & Under 2.5 Goals @ 11/2
Reading v Bradford City
Bradford have had some upheaval this week with Graham Alexander bringing to an end his three-year stint with the club, one that yielded promotion from League Two and a top six League One finish last season, as well as five wins in the first seven games of this one.
That said, the group looks pretty culturally sound to me, and I expect them to respond defiantly to the news under Mark Trueman’s interim stewardships, as the club ponders favourites Gary Rowett, Michael Duff and Paul Heckingbottom to replace the Deepdale departee.
A lot of the key principles, in terms of organisation, are very repeatable, and I see them getting a result in Berkshire to honour their former manager’s legacy.
Plus, I also think it’ll be really difficult for Jack Marriott, Reading’s main and vital source of goals, to get the better of three solid centre halves in Matt Pennington, Aden Baldwin and Macaulay Gillesphey in the way he might against less formidable opposition, so I see City absorbing pressure and registering an away win to nil.
Cheltenham Town to win @ 2/1
Accrington Stanley v Cheltenham Town
I was shocked to see Cheltenham priced as big as 2/1 at Accrington Stanley this weekend, considering the two clubs could conceivably be two leagues apart next season: the visitors have won four of their first eight games, and the hosts, just the one.
Plus, the Robins have taken points off good sides like Rotherham, Barnet, York and Chesterfield, whereas Accy have only done it against struggling or underachieving sides, bar a fortuitous 2-2 draw with Grimsby: they’re already eight points apart and, if anything, it’s Steve Cotterill’s side who have had the more demanding fixtures.
One of the two teams has Andi Weimann in attack, a former Premier League footballer with recent Championship experience and pedigree, plus Jake Evans, one of the hottest prospects from Leicester’s renowned academy.
Whereas, the other is starting players like Josh Woods, who actually got a goal at Swindon last weekend, but is broadly nowhere near league standard, and Charlie Caton, a non-league gamble on whom the jury is out after a quiet first season.
Gillingham to win @ Evens
Gillingham v Newport County
The overriding theme of Gillingham’s season, so far, is that they’re possibly one notch below the very best teams in the league, but they’ve made huge strides and, unlike previous years, look like a side we can rely on to put away the bottom sides at home, seven or eight times out of 10.
I really like Gareth Ainsworth’s side, and the influx of youthful exuberance this season, I think it was exactly what they needed for this cultural rebuild, even if we can anticipate some inconsistencies along the way.
The likes of Logan Dobbs, Harry Waldock and Zane Albarus have really impressed me for the Gills, they’ve brought a lovely energy to the side.
As such, I see them beating Newport, who were fortunate to get their second victory of the season against Grimsby last weekend.
Grimsby Town to win -1 handicap @ 7/4
Grimsby Town v Shrewsbury Town
I’m willing to predict Grimsby will tonk somebody by an absolute cricket-score between now and Christmas.
So, while my official selection is the -1 handicap, for those of you who like to walk on the wild side, I wouldn’t put you off other handicap selections that might take your fancy – we’re offering Grimsby -3 at 12s for the real daredevils among you!
I’ve been so impressed by how the Mariners have played, particularly in recent home games. They welcomed the promotion favourites to Blundell Park and not only beat them 2-0, but also limited Bristol Rovers to three shots at goal all afternoon, in a game they led for three-quarters of: just remarkable levels of control.
Then, they showed they could bring the exact same energy for a struggler the following week, and won by the same scoreline but should have scored many, many more based on chances.
The Mariners have loaned Finlay Cartwright from Middlesbrough, who has produced some astonishing performances (I call him ‘No-pin Fin’ because he’s such a flexible footballer, you just can’t pin him down).
As you can tell, I’m huge on Town and I expect them to enjoy a resounding victory against a Shrewsbury side languishing midway through the bottom half.
All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
