EFL League One & League Two Tipsheet: Six bets for opening weekend including a Sunday Stockport selection

• Cardiff and Stockport strong bets for Saturday and Sunday

• National League winners Barnet favourites versus Fleetwood

• Betfair's EFL expert Alan Dudman previews Matchday One in L1 and L2

League One tips

Cardiff City v Peterborough: Back Cardiff and Over 1.5 Goals @ 4/51.80

Cardiff City v Peterborough
Saturday 12:30
Live on Sky Sports 

Peterborough's 18th placed finish in League One last season was perhaps the most disappointing of all their third tier campaigns in recent times, and it's no wonder Cardiff are odds-on here at 1/21.50 in the match odds.

Posh's defence was prised open regularly last year and with 45 conceded on the road in 2024-25, Cardiff will surely be presented with plenty of chances here.

Darren Ferguson's team have lost four of their last five away league games against Cardiff City (W1), with each defeat coming via a 2+ goal margin and we can get 4/51.80 on the Sportsbook for a home win and Over 1.5 Goals for the Bluebirds to get off to a flyer in League One.

Huddersfield Town v Leyton Orient: Back Orient Draw No Bet @ 4/51.80

Huddersfield Town v Leyton Orient
Saturday 15:00

New manager - Lee Grant, check. New captain - Ryan Ledsen, check. Fresh start for Terriers? We'll see.

Huddersfield have been active with incomings Lynden Gooch and Alfie May in - two of the more marquee signings in the third tier - but Huddersfield look the sort of team that will always be a short price at home, certainly in the early games, and I want to take them on this weekend.

Orient have done some excellent business over the summer and are worth the Draw No Bet approach for this at 4/51.80. While the goals of Charlie Kelman will be missed, Richie Wellens has brought in 10 new signings and the signing of Joe White on loan from Newcastle will showcase the Geordie architect's wand of a left foot.

It will be interesting to see what Aaron Connolly can achieve after a halt to a one-time top-level career, but he's only 25 years of age with a point to prove and the excellent man manager skills of Wellens might just pull off a coup.

Wellens also broke the bank and spent a club record fee on Oxford midfielder Idris El Mizouni - and the O's have the makings of top six team.

Stockport County v Bolton Wanderers: Back Stockport @ 1/12.00

Stockport County v Bolton Wanderers
Sunday 12:00
Live on Sky Sports

Stockport County are unbeaten across their last seven league games against Bolton Wanderers (W5 D2), netting exactly two goals on average per match in that time and are favourites to extend that run to eight at evens for Sunday's lunchtime game.

The Hatters went toe-to-toe with Wrexham for that second automatic spot last term but came up agonisingly short with 87 points only to lose to Orient in the play-offs.

Mason Burstow was Bolton's latest and tenth summer signing, and after Ian Evatt's campaign of turmoil, Steven Schumacher turned things around, but their form did tail off.

Schumacher will do well I am sure, but Stockport look strong and the season of Stoke forward Nathan Lowe on loan could be the catalyst for promotion as Lowe at Walsall last term was different class.

League Two tips

Colchester United v Tranmere Rovers: Back Colchester @ 23/202.15

Colchester United v Tranmere Rovers
Saturday 15:00

Colchester conceded just 15 goals at home in the entire  2024-25 campaign. Only Bradford in third had a superior record.

With that in mind, it's not a shock to see the Under 2.5 Goals here at a prohibitive 1/21.50 against a Rovers team that have won just one of their last nine EFL matchday one games (D4 L4), a 1-0 victory over Walsall in 2021-22.

The incomings at Layer Road haven't been startling with Ben Perry the recent addition only the fourth of the summer - but the potential to sell the club fell through recently, hence the lack of activity.

However, Danny Cowley's defence was so good last term they'll be a side to follow for Unders and draws later on for those clean sheets, and they can justify their price at evens.

Salford City v Crewe Alexandra: Back Crewe double chance @ 5/61.84

Salford City v Crewe Alexandra
Saturday 15:00

This seems a cagey column with nothing too dramatic in price and another double chance bet with Crewe could be the way to go against Salford.

I cannot argue with City's finish to last season and a point outside the playoffs, but Crewe should fare better than their mid-table position from 2024-25.

The business to sign Emre Tezgel on loan from Stoke looks an intriguing move, purely on the impact that Nathan Lowe had at this level last term at Walsall from Stoke, and Tezgel has the honour of being Stoke's youngest-ever first-time player at 16.

Salford lost eight at home last term but earned an xG of 1.48 which was a solid metric at the top of the goals table, but Crewe were a good Unders team across their previous campaign with just 19 netted on the road and 21 conceded.

Barnet v Fleetwood Town: Back Barnet @ 1/12.00

Barnet v Fleetwood Town
Saturday 15:00

The Sportsbook price gurus are taking no chances with Barnet on their EFL return to the EFL, priced at even money on offer against Fleetwood's 11/43.75.

The Bees ran amok in the National League last term with a mammoth 102 points and have made 10 signings this summer, including experienced EFL forward Oliver Hawkins from Gillingham. I often say in my EFL columns that the gap is not huge and indeed some clubs in the fifth tier have far greater spending power.

Fleetwood have won just one of their four prior away matches that have come on matchday one of an EFL season (D2 L1), drawing their last 1-1 vs Carlisle United in 2023 and conceded 39 on the road last term with a massive 12 losses on the road.

The Cod Army were often fragile in terms of their mentality under Peter Wild and it could be a case of deja vu again.

Now read Alan Dudman's 1-24 for League Two with two antepost tips here!