The Skybet League Two returns from the FA Cup break on Saturday with all 24 sides looking to kick into a spell of form which could make a real difference with Christmas fast approaching.
The fixtures for Saturday are as follows:
Accrington v Wycombe
Wimbledon v Stevenage
Bristol Rovers v York
Crawley v Dag & Red
Luton v Northampton
Mansfield v Leyton Orient
Morecambe v Exeter
Notts County v Newport
Oxford Utd v Carlisle
Plymouth v Cambridge
Portsmouth v Hartlepool
Yeovil v Barnet
In truth I’m finding this a tricky fixture list to get to grips with. A few of the sides that I like have some injury concerns which isn’t ideal and the prices just aren’t there on a couple of the others I like.
I was considering a couple of away sides on big handicaps in the form of Stevenage and Newport although admittedly my enthusiasm waned for Stevenage slightly when news broke of Wimbledon’s return home on Thursday night. Everyone at Kingsmeadow is likely to be buoyed by that and the Dons players might well feed off the exuberance and positivity around.
Newport still tempt me a bit away at a Notts County side who are so inconsistent it is untrue but they will be without a key defender and with a small squad that is just about significant enough to put me off going near that one.
There are a few short priced home sides this week. Plymouth, Portsmouth, Accrington and Oxford are all quite short. The first two are nowhere near strong enough at home to be taking big handicaps with while the latter two face potentially tricky opponents so I won’t back any of them but there are two bets I like.
Bristol Rovers began the season on fire away from the Memorial Ground but pretty ordinary at it but there are signs they are going the other way now. They have won two of their last three matches at home including a dominant 3-0 win over Wycombe in their last match. The other win was against Carlisle which isn’t a bad win either.
They welcome a woeful York side to Gas Land on Saturday and that has to be a match they will be looking to win and win quite well. Matty Taylor scored a hat trick against Wycombe last time out and he’ll be out for more goals here.
York head down the M5 having lost seven of their last eight matches, including the last six, with the only respite in that time a 2-2 draw with Dagenham which isn’t the best form guide in the world.
York have lost their last two matches 6-0 and 5-1 and while they were down to 10 men against Portsmouth the capitulation there after shows a fragile side to them so if the Gasheads can get in front early this should be another comfortable home win.
The second bet I’m taking comes at the Kassam Stadium as Oxford host a Carlisle side who have had plenty on their plate this week with the devastation around that area of the country.
Carlisle are a side who go all out attack whether they are away or at home and it is no coincidence that a lot of their matches have three or more goals in them. Five of Carlisle’s last seven league games have had more than 2.5 goals in them and they go into the game off the back of a 5-0 win in the cup last weekend.
Oxford traditionally are stingier with the goals on offer in their matches but Yeovil showed in midweek that you can penetrate them. The likes of Barnet have scored three at the Kassam this season too so I’m confident Carlisle will score. I’m equally confident Carlisle will concede so this looks like an over 2.5 goals game to me.
Back Bristol Rovers (-1AH) to beat York for a 4/10 stake at 1.87 with BetVictor
Back Oxford vs Carlisle – Over 2.5 goals for a 4/10 stake at 1.80 with Skybet
Blog football YTD: -42.87pts
