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There’s nothing like a bit of midweek Football League action early in the season, and the games continue to come thick and fast in the three divisions as another full book of games await the 72 clubs across Tuesday and Wednesday night (UK Time).
With barely enough time to catch your breath, the best of last weekend, as well as the upcoming highlights ahead this week await below.
CHAMPIONSHIP
Brighton remain the only team on 100% with a win at Fulham, and down the other end last year’s comfortable League One winners Bristol City and Rotherham United are winless after 2 games. With 10 draws from the first 24 games, there’s a pile of teams on a win and a draw. Still early days of course, but with such a quick turnaround this week, momentum can be made or lost.
LAST WEEKEND’S HIGHLIGHTS
MIDDLESBROUGH 3 BOLTON 0
One of the most fancied teams for promotion every year since their EPL relegation got the kind of win they needed to live out that dream. A poor result for Bolton following their midweek exit in the League Cup to Burton Albion.
BRISTOL CITY 2 BRENTFORD 4
Both sides were knocked out of the League Cup by lower ranked sides, Brentford’s loss looked particularly bad as they went down 4-0 at home to fourth tier Oxford. At 2-1 up Bristol City looked to have got the turnaround required, but a red card changed the game, and Brentford scored another three to at least keep their league season on track.
UPCOMING HIGHLIGHTS
DERBY v MIDDLESBROUGH
Somehow these two teams missed promotion last year despite occupying the top two for a large chunk of the season. At least Boro got to the playoff final, Derby missed the top 6. So this is a big game between the two most fancied sides not to come down from the EPL. An early sighter for promotion hopes for both.
CHAMPIONSHIP MULTI BET
$1 for $18
MILTON KEYNES to beat Bolton
WOLVES to beat QPR
HULL to beat Fulham
PRESTON to beat Rotherham
LEAGUE ONE
Two teams remain on 100% in League One with one of the sleeping giants Coventry unbeaten as well as the underrated Rochdale. The only division of the top four where no teams is pointless with 8 games on one draw and a loss so far this season. Another 7 have a win and a loss.
LAST WEEKEND’S HIGHLIGHTS
MILLWALL 0 COVENTRY 4
Maybe this is the year for Coventry, who have endured a slide down the league and a temporary move to Northampton Town’s ground for home games. Losses don’t come much worse at home for Millwall, who may find it as tough in the third tier this year, than the Championship last year.
BLACKPOOL 0 ROCHDALE 2
Another big away win, another loss at home for Blackpool. The off field drama seems to be affecting the on field performances, and a consecutive relegation awaits if the rot doesn’t stop soon. Great result for Rochdale, who would be been fancied by very few outside of loyal fans for honours.
UPCOMING HIGHLIGHTS
PETERBOROUGH v SHEFFIELD UTD
Two of the bigger clubs in the division face off in Peterborough, a place in the past where many goals have been scored. Both have a home win and an away loss so far this year, but it’s too early in the season to see if that’s a trend yet.
ROCHDALE v WALSALL
As close to a top of the table clash as we get this midweek round (2nd v 5th), and with two clubs predicted to fighting for much lower honours at the beginning of the season.
LEAGUE ONE MULTI BET
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ROCHDALE to beat Walsall
SHEFFIELD UTD to beat Peterborough
BURTON to beat Blackpool
SWINDON to beat Port Vale
LEAGUE TWO
A league more polarised than the previous two with five teams on 100% and four still to win a point this season. Some of the big names are flexing their muscles early like Wycombe, Portsmouth and Leyton Orient with two from two, whilst last year’s Conference Premier winners Barnet are yet to get a point in the step up a grade. As you could imagine League Two has had the fewest draws with 6 of 24 games.
LAST WEEKEND’S HIGHLIGHTS
CARLISLE 4 CAMBRIDGE UTD 4
Carlisle came back three times to draw with Cambridge, after being down 2-0 after 21 minutes.
YORK 1 HARTLEPOOL 2
Hartlepool have come a long way since looking like relegation specials towards the end of last season. This result in York shows the turnaround.
CRAWLEY 1 AFC WIMBLEDON 2
Notable for a few things, but especially the first goal of the year for Adebayo Akinfenwa aka The Beast.
UPCOMING HIGHLIGHTS
YORK v YEOVIL
Both teams are down at the end of the alphabet and the Football League pyramid. Not quite a relegation 6 pointer yet, but neither team will want the record of 0 – 3 to start the season.
BARNET v NORTHAMPTON
Last year’s conference winners are much like last year’s League One winners in the Championship – winless after two games. A hat trick of losses isn’t a disaster but best avoided. Northampton are on the 5 teams unbeaten.
LEAGUE TWO MULTI BET
$1 for $31
DRAW – York/Yeovil
PLYMOUTH to beat Carlisle
HARTLEPOOL to beat Newport
AFC WIMBLEDON to beat Cambridge
