The domestic football weekend begins in Sky Bet League 1 on Thursday night when another round of matches gets underway at the Select Car Leasing Stadium as Reading host high flying Stevenage in front of the TV cameras.
These two teams go into the weekend at opposite ends of the table so it will be interesting to see if the form holds up in this one or whether the cameras inspire the lower placed side to show up and turn the tables.
Where to watch
The match will be shown live and in full on the Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football channels with the build-up beginning at 7.30pm ahead of the 8pm kick off.
Reading
After narrowly missing out on the play-offs last season despite all the adversity they were suffering off the pitch, Reading would have been expected to kick on under new ownership and at least reach the top six this time around. To say that isn’t how the campaign is playing out would be an understatement as heading into the weekend, the Royals sit one spot above the relegation zone with just three wins from their opening 14 matches of the season.
That has led to a change in manager which delivered better results in the last two league games but the agonising way in which they exited the FA Cup at the weekend highlights the fragility that is still there, that loss made all the harder that it was to a non-league team. After really struggling to start the season, Reading have only lost one of their last seven league matches but they have drawn four of those so they need to start turning the draws into wins. Reading are unbeaten in their last five at home.
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Stevenage
I think it is fair to say that Stevenage would be considered the surprise packages of the season so far. While some improvement could have been expected given the continuity that they have had, to sit fourth in the table approaching the end of the first third of the season must be outperforming expectations but eight wins from their opening 14 games have left them in a position where if their initial aim was to ensure a comfortable campaign, they can reassess their situation and maybe look to achieve something much bigger.
The Hertfordshire side have slowed up a little in the last couple of weeks though. They have only taken one point from their last two matches and have slipped down to fourth in the table but they will return to the top for a couple of nights at least if they can come away from Berkshire with a win. Stevenage have the third best xGA in the division and their 10 goals conceded is the best in the division so they are hard to break down and therefore tough to beat.
Betting
This should be a good way to get the EFL weekend underway. Stevenage are going well and will be eyeing up top spot here while Reading play their first league match under a new manager and will be out to impress and put that nasty FA Cup defeat at the weekend behind them. When you look at the two sides there might be a tendency to think this would be low scoring but I actually think Reading might have more of a go under a more attack minded coach and that leans me towards the goals here.
We have an Asian goal line of 2 here but if you took that in the last eight Reading league matches you would only have lost your cash once. Stevenage are built on a solid defence but that isn’t necessarily the case on their travels and actually four of their six away games have had two or more goals in them with the two that haven’t been the matches they lost to Lincoln and Huddersfield where they were outplayed. You would think this would be more even so I expect to see goals here. Reading will look for the manager bounce but Stevenage away games are averaging a nudge under 3 per match so I think the over is worth a go here.
Tips
Back Over 2 Asian goals for a 3/10 stake at 1.85 with Bet365
