Ready for Easter? Here's an 82/1 accumulator for you to get stuck into before you gorge on chocolate
For a lot of people in the UK and Ireland we’ve got a lovely long weekend on the horizon as Good Friday is a Bank Holiday. But before you put on your loose pants and prepare to put yourself in a chocolate egg coma, there’s a whole host of League One matches to get stuck into on Friday afternoon.
In a weekend where the Premier League and Championship takes a break for the international friendlies, it’d be rude not to try to spin an accumulator out of Friday’s smash-up – particularly when you can take advantage of Paddy Power’s Accumulator Insurance. If one leg of your fivefold or more lets you down, then you get your cash back as a free bet. Exactly the kind of safety net we appreciate when looking down the list of potentially tricky fixtures.
We’ve crunched the latest stats and form, and here’s an 82/1 fivefold that might give you a decent run for your money as you enjoy the long weekend.
Barnsley v Scunthorpe, Friday 3.00pm
Barnsley’s battle for a play-off spot could become derailed slightly on Friday by a dogged Scunthorpe side. The Tykes are in sixth spot by goal difference only, and while they’re six points ahead of Scunthorpe, the Irons are unbeaten in six – albeit five of those matches ended all square.
Barnsley racked up six wins on the bounce at Oakwell recently, but that good run came to a shuddering halt when they lost 2-0 to fellow play-off hopefuls Southend on March 12. Scunthorpe haven’t been winning too many matches of late, but they’re picking up draws and it could be another one on Friday, as Barnsley take on a side who have kept clean sheets in more than a third of their games this season.
- Barnsley and Scunthorpe to draw:
Rochdale v Southend, Friday 3.00pm
Only one point separates these sides in the league, and while there may not be much to separate them in points there’s a clear winner when it comes to momentum. Rochdale have won five of their last six league games, while Southend have won just two of the last eight.
Rochdale came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with Southend at Roots Hall in October, but the teams are in very different form currently, and the Dale can pick up another three points at Spotland Stadium.
Southend have won just once in seven matches away against teams in the league between ninth and 16th (Rochdale are 11th) and it may pay to back the Dale at odds against.
- Rochdale to beat Southend:
Sheffield United v Crewe, Friday 3.00pm
Crewe are in miserable, miserable form. One win in the last 17 league games is pretty much all you need to know. Since December 11 they’ve won just one, drawn eight and lost eight. On the road they’ve won just three of 18 matches and haven’t tasted away success since November 24.
You can see why Sheffield United are 1/2.
The Blades are hardly tearing up trees – they’ve won three of the last nine, and have lost four of the last six league games against Crewe – but the Railwaymen’s form is so dire you can have no confidence siding with them. Manager Steve Davis is under heaps of pressure and Crewe haven’t kept a clean sheet in the last eight games. The Blades look like a solid bet.
- Sheffield United to beat Crewe:
Shrewsbury v Port Vale, Friday 3.00pm
Six weeks ago Shrewsbury were just a point off the drop zone and flirting dangerously with the prospect of relegation to League Two. An unbeaten run of eight games however (four draws and four wins) has lifted them eight points clear of Doncaster and a win against Port Vale can aid their recovery.
The Valiants are on a play-off mission on their own, but their away form is simply atrocious. 67 per cent of Port Vale’s points have come at home, while they’ve lost on the road to every team in the top 12 bar Barnsley. The Shrews can heap further misery on the travelling Port Vale fans, and aid their own survival hopes with a win on Friday.
- Shrewsbury to beat Port Vale:
Swindon v Wigan, Friday 5.30pm, Sky Sports 1
Wigan are involved in a mighty scrap with Walsall for an automatic promotion place, but 14th placed Swindon Town might throw a spanner in the works at the County Ground. The Robins have won four and drawn three of the last seven as Luke Williams’ men put together some tidy form.
Wigan are flying. They’ve lost the fewest games of any League One side, and have picked up 1.61 points per game on the road. The last time Gary Caldwell’s men tasted defeat in the league was 16 games ago on December 12, and they’ve won nine and drawn seven since.
Wigan come into the match as red-hot favourites, but Swindon’s new-found resilience can earn them a point, and hopefully click our tasty fivefold.
- Swindon and Wigan to draw:
Get stuck into all the League One odds for Friday’s games here