Saturday League 1 & 2 Tips: Go against Sparky with a pair of 13/1 accas | OneFootball

EFL League One & League Two

Mark Hughes was named as Carlisle United manager this week

Alan Dudman's latest tipsheet previews Saturday's action with new managers Steven Schumacher and Mark Hughes featuring...

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League One outfit Leyton Orient host Manchester City in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday, and the bad news for the underdogs is that the champions of England have scored at least three goals in each of their last five FA Cup ties against non-Premier League teams.

The Betfair Sportsbook have super-boosted Man City's price to score at least three goals on Saturday from 8/15 to 1/1. To take advantage just click on the odds in the below bet banner to go directly to the pre-loaded betslip.

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League One

Leg 1: Charlton Athletic v Stevenage, Saturday 12:30: Back Stevenage Double Chance @ 4/6

Charlton are three wins from their last four and it should have been four from four as they blew a 2-0 lead last weekend against Blackpool, a game in which Nathan Jones was left gutted by saying: "We had more chances, more possession, more shots on goal. Statistically, we were good and on the eye we were good."

Stevenage have reeled off a hat-trick of wins coming into this - claiming the big scalps of Wrexham and Barnsley on the road, and with their water-tight defence, they look more of a bet on the double chance with the draw running for us too.

They've kept five clean sheets since December and their away record of F7 A10 with five draws gives a good base for the bet.

Charlton have lost just one of their last 11 league games (W6 D4), netting 2+ goals in seven matches across that time, but the two here look more evenly matched than the market suggests with the Addicks as the 11/10 favourites and 10/11 in the 90 minutes payout market.

KEY OPTA STAT: Stevenage are unbeaten across their last six away league games against sides from London (W2 D4), keeping four clean sheets in that run.

Leg 2: Bolton Wanderers v Crawley Town, Saturday 15:00: Back Bolton -2 @ 3/1

Steven Schumacher could turn out to be a fine appointment for Bolton since taking over from the sacked Ian Evatt recently and he certainly has some quality in his squad but started in the worst possible way in his first match with a 1-0 loss at Reading.

Schumacher had made four changes - which included a debut for Newcastle United loanee Alex Murphy on the left, who was outstanding.

Bolton went with two No10s in the game, something rarely seen at this level, and they have the ability to create chances all through the team. Crawley's defence on the road is one of the leakiest in the division with 28 conceded and have an xA figure away of 1.50. Bolton, who have only failed to score in one of their last ten league games, although that blank did come in their most recent match during a 1-0 defeat to Reading, should dominate and I am prepared to go with the -2 Handicap here at 3/1 as I can see the likes of Aaron Collins and co creating here.

KEY OPTA STAT: Crawley have won just one of their last nine league games (D2 L6), but that sole victory did come in their last outing on the road in a 1-0 win at Mansfield.

Leg 3: Burton Albion v Blackpool, Saturday 15:00: Back Blackpool @ 11/10

Burton are unbeaten across their last five league games (W3 D2), last enjoying a longer run in the EFL between September and October 2023 (seven games), and they've got a puncher's chance of staying up now.

While their recent 0-0 was a performance of more solidity, their previous games were high-scoring affairs at home with 3-2 and 4-2 wins against Rotherham and Reading.

Blackpool are equally high on the entertainment stakes with plenty of goals for and against on the road, but it's their away form that is worth backing here as they've converted into a more potent force on their travels with seven wins - compared to just two and a whopping eight draws at Bloomfield Road.

KEY OPTA STAT: Blackpool are unbeaten across their last seven league games (W2 D5), last recording a longer run without defeat in April 2021 (16 games).

League Two

Leg 1: Swindon Town v Port Vale, Saturday 12:30: Back The Draw @ 23/10

Swindon have morphed into the great Glenn Hoddle side it seems with a massive upturn in results and a remarkable four wins on the spin.

They ran riot at Carlisle last weekend, a 5-1 loss that cost Mike Williamson his job, but Holloway's impact in terms of points has been a revelation, as weeks ago they were below Carlisle in the table but are now 16 points above the lowly Cumbrians in 14th.

Dan Butterworth is a ball-carrying midfielder and a pleasure to watch no doubt last weekend against his former club, and this will be a good test of Swindon's progress against a Port Vale team who had title aspirations earlier in the season.

Vale have drawn four on the road including a recent 1-1 with Chesterfield and have won just one of their last six away league games (D3 L2), after winning five of their prior seven (D1 L1). Plus, I tend to think Darren Moore can be a bit too pragmatic in games when the pressure is on, although he wasn't helped with the red card in the Chesterfield draw which resulted in him switching to the deep block.

This is a tricky game to price up as on form, Swindon could be even shorter, but since November, Vale have drawn six and we can push for the better price here with the draw.

KEY OPTA STAT: Swindon Town have lost three of their last five league games against Port Vale (W2), as many as they had in their previous 17 against them (W11 D3).

Leg 2: Grimsby Town v Carlisle United, Saturday 15:00: Back Grimsby @ 21/20

Left-field managerial choices don't get more err left-field than Mark Hughes being named as the Carlisle boss this week. A legend of Manchester United and Wales, less so Bradford, his pedigree gives him a bit of time and perhaps a bit of the old-school that Carlisle need.

On arriving, he said he wants his players to not hide behind systems, which to me, looks a clear dig at Mike Williamson - the new breed of coach and departed one, who was well-known for his "xG numbers and box entries" quotes and summaries.

For all the hooplah around a new boss, Carlisle have been dreadful this term and have won just three away with 11 goals scored all season and Hughes will have to be a messiah to keep them up, which is why Grimsby should be backed here at a generous 21/20. They should be odds-on, and probably would be if Williamson was still in charge.

Grimsby have drawn each of their last two home league games and could draw three in succession for the first time since March 2023 but have produced some big wins at Blundell Park this season, notably with a 5-2 against Accrington, and a 3-0 against Port Vale in late December. When David Artell's side get their game going, they have ripped apart teams.

KEY OPTA STAT: Carlisle United have lost just one of their last six away league games against Grimsby Town (W3 D2), after failing to win on any of their prior 12 visits to Blundell Park between 1953 and 1997.

Leg 3: Notts County v Morecambe, Saturday 15:00: Back Alassana Jatta Anytime Scorer @ 11/10

Oh David McGoldrick. What a goal last weekend at Gillingham with a dink over the keeper, a strike that left boss Stuart Maynard purring: "Every week he just keeps going again and again, showing more quality and work ethic. It's infectious. You see it in our group."

It's now 13 for the season for the veteran, and his strike partnership with Alassana Jatta is one of the most potent in the division with Jatta also on 13 - therefore 11/10 the pair for Anytime Scorer honours this weekend.

Jatta hasn't quite been as hot as McGoldrick of late with one in his last five, but I always think that's the time to oppose the "hot one". With Jodi Jones pulling the assist strings, the pair will surely be presented with chances here as Morecambe have won just one of their eight away Football League games against Notts County (D3 L4), failing to score on each of their last three visits to Meadow Lane and were destroyed in this fixture 5-0 last season with a Macauley Langstaff hat-trick.

Recommended bets

Back the League One treble in one click here 0.5pt @ 13/1

Back the League Two treble in one click here 0.5pt @ 13/1

Multiples P & L

2024-2025: -5.00pts *Advised to 0.5pt staked unless stated otherwise