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London derby draw looks the option at Orient
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Mansfield banker bets again for Boxing Day
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Alan Dudman has festive 5/23.50 and 8/19.00 accas
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League One
Leg 1: Peterborough v Reading, Boxing Day 15:00: Back Peterborough
Posh continue to chisel out the results and earned a 1-2 success on Saturday for one of four out of six singles for the column, and it's hard to get away from the Posh as bankers this Boxing Day with a fixture against hapless Reading.
The Royals have lost 15 of their last 23 league games played on Boxing Day (W5 D3) and are winless in three (D1 L2) since a 3-1 win at Bradford in 2017.
They have been a soft touch on the road too with just one victory all season and a goal output of just nine away. This is a bit of mis-match against Posh's excellent home record (W7 D2 L1, F25 A7). Indeed, the "goals against" column puts them as the best defence in the division. I am surprised the hosts aren't a little shorter to be honest.
KEY OPTA STAT: Peterborough United are looking to complete a league double over Reading for the first time ever, following their 1-0 win on the opening day of the season.
Leg 2: Leyton Orient v Charlton Athletic, Boxing Day 13:00: Back the Draw
London Derby time at Brisbane Road and note the early kick-off at 13:00, and neither are massively convincing at the moment which is why I am leaning towards backing the draw. And as always, that draw price always can boost an acca.
Orient scored twice but lost 3-2 at Carlisle on Saturday whilst Charlton have drawn three on the spin. Indeed, that's five draws on the road this season and the Addicks tend to go off at bad value, so the 13/82.63 for an away victory is a poor price for considering they have been firmly rooted in mid-table and I wouldn't be the biggest fan of Michael Appleton either.
Seven of Charlton's last 14 league games on Boxing Day have ended as a draw (W4 L3), including each of their last two on this date. Orient don't score many either, and I can see this as a 1-1.
KEY OPTA STAT: Leyton Orient have lost their last two league games on Boxing Day - they had won their previous four games on that day beforehand.
Leg 3: Burton Albion v Blackpool, Boxing Day 15:00: Back Blackpool
None of Burton Albion's 10 Football League matches on Boxing Day have been draws (W7 L3), seeing 38 goals scored at an average of 3.8 per game, and with Blackpool in opposition, both could score here.
Blackpool were another team to secure a single win for the column on Saturday with a 3-1 win against Bristol Rovers, and since the 18th November have scored four, four, one, three, one and three.
Jordan Rhodes scored again at the weekend for his 15th of the season and the metric xG the team for Blackpool home and away is 1.5 and 1.3.
Burton last won a league game back in October and are readily opposed here and are winless in their last four league games against Blackpool (D2 L2) since a 3-0 home win back in March 2019.
KEY OPTA STAT: Blackpool are winless in their last five Boxing Day league games (D1 L4) since a 1-0 away win at Hartlepool United in 2016 in League Two.
League Two
Leg 1: Mansfield Town v Grimsby Town, Boxing Day 15:00: Back Mansfield
Mansfield Town are unbeaten in their last six league games on Boxing Day (W3 D3) since losing 1-0 to Morecambe in 2016, and are one of the real solid betting sides in the League Two this term as they never lose.
Another win on Saturday at Sutton was routine with goals from Stephen Quinn and Lucas Akins and they had previously scored three at Crawley.
Nigel Clough's team remain unbeaten at home with five wins and four draws and they also have the most miserly defence in the division with just five conceded on their own patch.
Grimsby Town have won just five of their last 29 Boxing Day games in the EFL (D10 L14) and have lost on December 26th in each of their last two games on that date.
KEY OPTA STAT: Grimsby are unbeaten in their last three league visits to Mansfield (W1 D2) since a 2-1 defeat in November 2018.
Leg 2: MK Dons v Colchester, Boxing Day 15:00: Back MK Dons
MK Dons are another odds-on selection for Boxing Day and are certainly revitalised since the appointment of Mike Williamson - who was up for manager of the month in December.
Williamson was pleased with two facets of his side's game on Saturday with not only the way they kept the ball, but also their determination.
Max Dean is a striker in form for MK and his double on Saturday took his tally to eight in 10 of late and it's no surprise he is 13/82.63 in the Anytime Goalscorer market. MK Dons have won their last three Boxing Day league games and are unbeaten in four (W3 D1) since losing to Cheltenham Town in 2018 and should justify the odds here.
KEY OPTA STAT: Having beaten Gillingham on Boxing Day last year, Colchester are looking for consecutive league wins on December 26th for the first time since 2017.
Leg 3: AFC Wimbledon v Sutton United, Boxing Day 15:00: Back Wimbledon
The Wimbledon Dons have been in good nick of late under Johnnie Jackson and are moving stealthily up the table thanks to a run of just one defeat in the league since the end of October. They won the reverse fixture earlier in the season against Sutton 3-0 and are another priced up short at 1/21.50 too and should land the money.
Ali Al-Hamadi scored again on Saturday to take his tally to 16 for the season, something Sutton can only dream with a poor goal output this term of just 10 on the road and they've conceded a massive 33 on their travels - most recently shipping eight at Stockport.
With an xG of just 1.11 on the road, Sutton will be vulnerable again.
KEY OPTA STAT: AFC Wimbledon are unbeaten in their last three home league games on Boxing Day (W1 D2) since losing against Southend United in 2013.
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Alan Dudman's P and L 2023-24
Multiples: +32.00pts