League One Betting Tips: Charlton to keep on rolling after fine midweek win

Addicks can maintain stranglehold over Cambridge

Charlton Athletic v Cambridge United
Saturday 20th August, kick-off 15:00

The Valley awaits on Saturday and with Cambridge in town, this honours my first ever match attended in south London between these two back in the early 1980s - a game when former European Footballer Of The Year Allan Simonsen turned out for the Addicks, and Bob Bolder played too.

I was dead against Charlton at the start of the season, but seven points from their four games so far now sees their Promotion price on the Exchange at 7.06/1. It's early days of course, but Ben Garner is proving me wrong.

Garner came with an attacking CV from his Swindon days, and they've scored in all of their games so far, including Tuesday's 5-1 success at the Valley against promotion hopefuls Plymouth.

The young guns played their part, and how, Crystal Palace loanee Jesrun Rak-Sakyi made an immediate impact with the opening goal, and while the Greens went down to 10 men in the first-half, the Addicks destroyed their opponents with five goals from different players.

Fellow columnist Kev Hatchard covered the game for Talksport and raved about the player, while the South London press editor and old work pal of mine Richard Cawley said post-game that he already looks too good for this division. When two great sages of the game say that - you take notice.

The hosts are 100% at home so far with a 1-0 win against Derby, although they had far less possession in that than they did against Plymouth. Sixteen shots on target from their first two games at the Valley shows there is a lot of attacking intent from Charlton.

Cambridge have lost both games on the road so far and only Burton Albion (10) and Plymouth Argyle (6) have conceded more goals in open play in League One this season than the U's (5) according to Opta stats.

We aren't getting a great price on the hosts at 1.748/11, but we can play that as the cover bet almost to play something a bit more fancy, especially as the visitors have a dreadful record against the Londoners.

Cambridge have won only one of their last seven away Football League games against Charlton (D3 L3), beating the Addicks 2-1 in November 1991.

They've got goals too; Miles Leaburn is keeping alive the identity as son of former Floyd Road legend Carl, and he's two from four already, while Chuks Aneke has been directly involved in four goals in his three league appearances against Cambridge (two goals, two assists).

Playing Aneke to Score Anytime and Charlton to win pays 3.211/5 on the Sportsbook Betbuilder, and I think they can cover the -1 Handicap too that pays 2.35/4.

KEY OPTA STAT: Charlton won both league games with Cambridge United last season, while they haven't conceded against the U's in their last four league fixtures (W3 D1).

Bishop could have all the moves with huge clash against Rovers

Portsmouth v Bristol Rovers
Saturday 20th August, kick-off 15:00

Another big win on Tuesday night was at Fratton Park with Danny Cowley's Portsmouth runaway 4-1 victors against hapless Cambridge. Will it finally be the season that sees Pompey get out of the division?

Since the start of February, only Sheffield Wednesday (49) and Bolton Wanderers (46) have won more League One points than Portsmouth (43), with Pompey the leading scorers in that time (47), and while Rovers should do well this term, it's hard to get away from the hosts at 1.814/5.

Ronan Curtis and Michael Jacobs both scored in a fast start, while former Accrington forward Colby Bishop has hit the ground running and the summer signing already has five in five and looks a standout Anytime Goalscorer bet this weekend.

There's a lot of creativity in the midfield now with the likes of Jacobs and Tommy Lowery - player dubbed "Minniesta" with reference to a certain Barcelona man.

Cowley's opposite number Joey Barton has already stoked the flames for what promises to be a great atmosphere with two of the best supported teams in the third tier.

He said: "I've said to the lads in there don't bother coming in on Thursday and Friday unless you're ready for a war.

You know what the Cowley's teams are going to be like, with Joe Pigott, Colby Bishop, [Michael] Morrison, [Sean] Raggett. You're going to be tested in all departments because they create a strong physical team."

The Gas were big 0-4 winners at Burton - who were dreadful then, but suffered that hefty loss on Tuesday.

The play for Overs looks sensible at a very good 1.9210/11 considering Bristol Rovers' last four away league games have seen 18 goals scored, scoring 11 goals while conceding seven goals themselves, while Bishop can be used for out Betbuilder to make it six for the season.

KEY OPTA STAT: Bristol Rovers are winless in their last 10 Football League trips to Portsmouth since a 2-1 victory in October 1975 (D2 L8).

Grecians can easily earn the points against Cheltenham

Exeter City v Cheltenham Town
Saturday 20th August, kick-off 15:00

Matt Taylor's newly promoted Exeter have been the surprise package of the season so far in League One, and good fun too with a lot of goals and entertainment.

No player has been involved in more League One goals this season than Exeter's Jevani Brown (3 goals, 2 assists), with this his first season at this level, and the Grecians attacker is the penalty man too.

He might have a point to prove as he was left on the bench for the EFL Cup tie between the two - a game in which Exeter ran out 0-7 winners at Whaddon Road. Harry Kite also has three this term too.

I opposed Cheltenham on Tuesday at Lincoln, with Wade Elliott's team earning their first 0-0 of the season. Both of their away games have been Under 2.5 this term, as rather amazingly, they haven't scored since the two against Peterborough on the opening day of the season.

Town are without a League One win this season (P4 D1 L3). They haven't started a Football League season with five winless league games since 2002-03, and they are easily opposable here, as Exeter get on the front foot with plenty of intent, and also look a good side from set-pieces having outmuscled Wycombe recently.

KEY OPTA STAT: Victory for Cheltenham would see them beat Exeter in consecutive Football League trips to Exeter for the first time since April 2013 (run of four).