THE regular Football League season concludes this weekend and Mark O’Haire (@MarkOHaire) shares his four favourite fancies from the coupon.
Middlesbrough v Brighton | Saturday 12.30 | Sky Sports
- Two teams on 88 points – enough for automatic promotion in each of the past 14 seasons.
- Winner wins promotion to the Premier League.
- Middlesbrough require just a point for promotion.
- Middlesbrough W16-D4-L2 at home and unbeaten at the Riverside since January.
- Middlesbrough have shipped just seven goals at home.
- Brighton W9-D11-L2 away but unbeaten in 13 (W9-D4-L0) with one defeat in 19 (W13-D5-L1).
- Middlesbrough have seen HT draws in 12/22 (55%) home and Brighton have followed suit in 13/22 (59%).
- With stakes so high and two tense teams on show, this might be a slow-burner.
Preston v Leeds | Saturday 12.30
- Leeds surprisingly beaten at home to Charlton last weekend but W3-D1-L0 in previous four matches.
- Steve Evans and club still keen on completing the campaign in the top-half.
- Leeds have W7-D8-L7 away – exclude the top-three and Leeds have W7-D8-L4 away.
- Preston W3-D4-L5 in their most recent 12 outings.
- Preston W7-D9-L6 at home in the league, exclude sides in 16th and below and they’ve W2-D6-L5 at home.
- Only scored 20 home goals – the second-worst tally in the division.
- Leeds avoiding defeat in 15/19 at teams outside the top-three and Preston winning only 2/13 from the top-15, we’ll make money if Leeds avoid defeat again.
Accrington v Stevenage | Saturday 15.00
- Accrington need a win to confirm promotion.
- Accrington’s 65% shots-on-target ratio figure the league’s best – suggests most dominant team in League Two this season – extends to 67% at home.
- Accrington W11-D8-L3 at home this season – 7/11 home wins included BTTS.
- Accrington seen 18/22 at home feature BTTS but scored 2+ in 12/22 home.
- Stevenage W3-D4-L1 in last eight games including four clean sheets.
- Stevenage W5-D6-L11 away, keeping just one clean sheet.
- Stevenage seen 16/22 away games feature BTTS, only failing to score in five.
Swindon v Shrewsbury | Sunday 12.30
- Two teams safe with little bar pride to play for, which could result in an open and entertaining encounter.
- Swindon seen 16/22 home games feature BTTS and 15/22 home games feature Over 2.5 Goals.
- Swindon have scored in 18/22 home games, notched 2+ goals in 11/22 at home but kept only 2/22 clean sheets at the County Ground.
- Star midfield man Yaser Kasim is expected to return to Swindon’s XI here.
- Shrewsbury’s last 11 matches have featured 43 goals – an average of 3.91 goals-per-game – as all 11 featured BTTS and 9/11 Over 2.5 Goals.
- Shrewsbury have seen 15/22 away feature BTTS and 13/22 away feature Over 2.5 Goals.
- Shrewsbury have scored in 17/22 away, notching 2+ goals in 9/22 away but only keeping 4/22 clean sheets on their travels.
Best Bets
Middlesbrough v Brighton – 0-0 half-time correct score (7/4 William Hill)
Leeds v Preston – Leeds +0.25 Asian Handicap (7/6 BetVictor)
Swindon v Shrewsbury – Over 2.5 Goals and Both Teams To Score (5/6 Stan James)
Accrington v Stevenage – Accrington to win and Both Teams To Score (85/40 BetVictor)
