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Back Bolton to bounce back
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Langstaff up and running for County
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Gillingham the 1-0 specialists
League One
Leg 1: Bristol Rovers to beat Wycombe
League One this season is proving to be a real minefield as there appears to be no standout candidate at all, and the fact Cambridge are top on nine points shows the title is there for the taking.
I've been sticking with Bristol Rovers this season as I rated them better than 33/134.00 outsiders for the title, and bar a 2-0 defeat at Cambridge last week, they've played well against some of the more fancied teams so far.
It was a setback seven days ago, but they've made on of their best starts to the season and manager Joey Barton would have rued the amount of chances the Pirates created and they looked menacing in the final third.
Wycombe have failed to score at all in five of their last seven league matches, including in three of their four matches this season. They have won just once in this seven-game period (D2 L4), beating Leyton Orient 3-2 earlier this month and Wanderers at 5/23.50 are about the right price.
KEY OPTA STAT: Bristol Rovers have won just one of their last 11 home league matches (D4 L6), a 1-0 victory over Charlton in April.
Leg 2: Back Bolton to beat Burton
Burton Albion sit bottom of League One at the moment with a solitary point from four matches, and they have failed to score a goal at home so far to indicate a season of struggle is brewing.
Saturday's 0-0 at Wycombe saw Albion have hardly any of the ball and they've registered a paltry xG of just 1.07 so far and they have never been a side for goals.
Bolton suffered an almighty reverse last weekend, an nobody saw their home 0-4 loss to Wigan coming. These results happen in League One all the time, and while I underestimated Carlisle, Ian Evatt's side had previously won three straight and scored three in each.
Albion haven't scored more than one goal in any of their last 10 league games (four goals overall), and have failed to find the net at all in three of their four league games so far this term, and against a team with goals in them and threats, the visitors look a good price here for Saturday.
KEY OPTA STAT: Bolton are averaging a league-high 64.4% possession in League One this term, while they have had 57 open play sequences of 10 or more passes, also the most of any side.
Leg 3: Back Oxford to beat Charlton
After an opening day defeat in the "University Derby" against Cambridge, Oxford head into this Saturday with three straight victories and should make it four against an overrated Charlton.
Many had tipped the Addicks up ante-post due to the signing of Alfie May, but Charlton have problems elsewhere as their squad doesn't look deep enough.
The U's have lost just one of their 12 league meetings with Charlton in the 21st century (W6 D5), a 0-2 defeat in October 2020. They are unbeaten in five league matches versus the Addicks since (W3 D2).
And while Liam Manning's side are a little short in the betting - at 10/111.91 on the Match Odds market and 8/111.73 in the 90 minutes market, Charlton have lost three on the spin and even conceded three at home to Port Vale last weekend, and Vale won't be troubling anyone this term.
KEY OPTA STAT: Oxford have won each of their last three league matches, last enjoying a longer winning spell in the league in January 2021 (7).
League Two
Leg 1: Back Gillingham to beat Colchester
Gillingham are the only team with a 100% record this term in League Two with a perfect 12 points from their four games, and Neil Harris has fashioned a 1-0 specialist outfit - all four of their league victories have finished 1-0. No team in the history of the Football League have won six league games in a row all by a 1-0 scoreline.
They play well on the counter-attack and are usually happy to give up possession, and while their xG overall is 0.87 and tiny in comparison to the excitement at Wrexham, they have a higher xG at home of 1.45, and the 8/111.73 for Saturday perhaps should be a little shorter considering their perfect start.
Colchester United are on a five-match losing streak in League Two, the longest current losing run in the division and conceded a 100th minute goal last weekend in the 2-3 loss to MK Dons.
KEY OPTA STAT: In all of the last three League Two meetings between Gillingham and Colchester United, the winning team has kept a clean sheet (Gillingham W2 Colchester W1).
Leg 2: Back Macauley Langstaff to score anytime v Tranmere
Notts County finally got their season up and running last Saturday with a 1-3 success at Doncaster to add to their previous 3-2 home win against Grimsby - and for a team that broke scoring record in the National League last term - they are one of the most dangerous teams in the league.
Striker Macauley Langstaff bagged a double against Donny, and his natural goalscoring abilities will always keep them onside as a bet.
They are a little short at 4/71.57 in the Match Odds market, so it might be worth going for the goals angle again here as Tranmere conceded four last week against Salford.
County have a 1.84 xG at home and Over 2.5 Goals is again reflected as quite short, so it might be worth playing Langstaff again to Score Anytime.
KEY OPTA STAT: Notts County have won three of their last four home league matches against Tranmere Rovers in England's top four tiers (L1), winning the last such meeting in December 2018 (3-2).
Leg 3: Back MK Dons to beat Doncaster
There are usually some bad favourites in League One and Two, but the MK Dons at 4/71.57 look a good bet and one for any accumulator this weekend against a poor Doncaster.
Doncaster Rovers are yet to win a match in League Two this season (D1 L3) and have won just one of their last 15 league matches (D3 L11), and have yet to score a goal on the road with four against.
The Dons have a proper manager now in Graham Alexander and should have little trouble in taking care of Donny.
KEY OPTA STAT: No player has more combined goals and assists in League Two this season than Mo Eisa's five for MK Dons (4 goals, 1 assist).
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Multiples: +10.00