Saturday League 1 & 2 Tips: Back Shrews to keep fighting in weekend 12/1 and 13/1 trebles | OneFootball

EFL League One & League Two

Shrewsbury manager Gareth Ainsworth

The treble eluded Alan Dudman with four from six winning single tips on Tuesday. In good form he goes again, previewing this weekend in the EFL...

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League One

Leg 1: Burton Albion v Bolton Wanderers, Saturday 15:00: Back Bolton to win @ 19/20

Bolton are much improved since the arrival of a good coach in Steve Schumacher and a run of three wins from four puts them on the verge of a late surge for play-off honours. They should have too much for a Burton side with only three wins to their name at the Pirelli.

Wins do not come more emphatically than Bolton's 3-1 over Birmingham in midweek - a performance labelled as "outstanding" by Schumacher - as they set about their wealthy opponents with great tenacity and verve. With Bolton, you always feel they have goals in them and their attacking trident provided the goods once again with the clinical John McAtee and Aaron Collins both registering goals.

McAtee now has four in four with Collins, such a fine talent, now on 16 for the season.

What was so pleasing from Tuesday's win was how Bolton weathered a 20 minute spell from Blues who looked the part, but Schumacher got his press right and they can complete their double over the Brewers, whom they beat earlier in the season 2-1 with Collins on the scoresheet then.

KEY OPTA STAT: Bolton are unbeaten across their last four league games played on a Saturday (W3 D1), scoring nine goals in total across that time.

Leg 2: Peterborough United v Wycombe Wanderers, Saturday 15:00: Back Wycombe @ 23/20

It's a first preview with Wycombe since Matt Bloomfield departed for Luton, but Mike Dodds, poached from Sunderland as a highly-rated coach, has got off to a decent start.

Dodds appears popular and a steady hand, and has had the task of maintaining the promotion charge. A midweek win over Burton certainly helped to cement their position on 67 points - which is still two more than last term. Wycombe's defence has been good in Dodds' time, conceding only twice and their possession play earned top marks too from the manager against Burton. Although he did say it was still an "evolving piece" - which could mean anything.

I am still going against Peterborough and was foiled last weekend as Shrewsbury were down to 10-men after 10 seconds, but I tend to oppose Posh in the big games and Wycombe thrashed them earlier in the season 3-1 with a Richard Kone hat-trick. He's on 19 for the season.

KEY OPTA STAT: Wycombe Wanderers have won four of their last five league games against Peterborough United (D1), as many victories as across their prior 13 such matches against the Posh (D5 L4).

Leg 3: Exeter City v Shrewsbury Town, Saturday 15:00: Back Shrewsbury @ 11/5

Shrewsbury are still bottom on 28 points and are five behind Burton. This could simply be a case of one team fighting for survival and another (in Exeter) who are drifting into the abyss.

The alarm bells might be ringing at St James' Park and the excellently named Cat And Fiddle training ground as Exeter have won just once in 12 and are on 37 points. They will need to be careful not to get dragged into the relegation battle.

The Grecians have lost seven at home this term and don't keep many clean sheets. Indeed, their Tuesday 0-0 at Reading and a recent clean sheet against Cambridge were their first since November. They have failed to win any of their last five home league games (D2 L3), conceding 16 goals in total during that time.

The Shrews played well against Bolton last month and we should forget about the Posh game with the early Marquis dismissal. While the Draw No Bet was under consideration, it's too short at 4/7.

KEY OPTA STAT: Since the beginning of April 2024, Shrewsbury have won just two of their 21 away league games (D7 L12), scoring less than a goal a game on average during that time (0.95).

League Two

Leg 1: AFC Wimbledon v Notts County, Saturday 12:30: Back the draw @ 11/5

A terrific game for the early start on Sky at 12:30 with one the best defences in the division taking on the best away attack on numbers.

Backing Wimbledon and their miserly 10 goals conceded at Plough Lane on the Under 2.5 Goals has been a great source of profit - in 14 of their last 16 games the Under 2.5 backers would have copped.

Notts County lost 2-1 against Barrow last time out which scuppered our treble as the other two tips in the division both won, but have only lost consecutive league games once this season (v Walsall and Salford in December) and it could be a case of defence nullifying attack. Wimbledon have lost their last two league games, as many as they had in their previous 20 (W10 D8). They last lost three in a row in April 2023 and with the proximity of the Magpies in the league, Johnnie Jackson will take a point here I am sure.

It's not a surprise to see the Under 2.5 so short at 13/20, and I never like the Under 1.5 bet anyway. I find it hard to split two good teams who between them have drawn (home and away) 19 times.

KEY OPTA STAT: Notts County will be looking to win consecutive Football League away games against sides from London for the first time since April 2012, after beating Bromley 4-2 on their last trip to the capital.

Leg 2: Gillingham v Bradford City, Saturday 15:00: Back Bradford @ 19/20

Bradford are looking like title contenders with the way they have purred into contention - a winning run of six from seven has put them into a great position just two points behind Walsall and they've been as reliable as you can get for the column of late.

Another midweek win was a winning single tip on Tuesday with a 3-0 home success against Cheltenham, a performance that was a record tenth straight home three points.

They had a few injuries too going into that game, as Antoni Sarcevic and Romoney Crichlow went off before half-time at Salford. Bobby Pointon was carrying a knock from the previous week and Jamie Walker and Tayo Adaramola were both struggling.

Alex Pattison missed Saturday and Tuesday through illness so if any of those are back and at peak levels, it's hard to get away from the visitors who look a good price at 19/20

Tuesday was another energetic performance but it's at the back where they are so disciplined and organised and with Gillingham's record of just 19 goals at home in 17 games at an xG of 1.39, they face one of the best backlines in the league who have given up just two goals on the road since mid January.

KEY OPTA STAT: Bradford City have won each of their last three league games against Gillingham, already their longest ever run against the Gills in the EFL.

Leg 3: Cheltenham Town v Colchester United, Saturday 15:00: Back Colchester to win @ 13/10

Colchester are proving a very difficult team to play against of late and while they don't score many, they don't concede often either. They are in an unbeaten run that stretches back 10 games.

In those 10, eight have been Under 2.5 Goals and have earned 1-1 draws against Notts County and AFC Wimbledon.

Danny Cowley's side didn't allow Chesterfield a shot on target on Tuesday and kept them to just 0.26xG and were equally frugal at the back at the MK Dons recently allowing just 0.31xG.

Cheltenham have lost just one of their last 12 home league games (W6 D5), scoring at least once in each of their last 14 at home and the draw column is interesting for a potential bet as Col U have 10 on the road - but I think the Essex side can nick this by the odd goal, something they are experts in.

Recommended bets

Back the League One treble on Saturday 0.5pt @ 12/1

Back the League Two treble on Saturday 0.5pt @ 13/1

Multiples P & L

2024-2025: -3.00pts *Advised to 0.5pt staked unless stated otherwise