*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change
The Easter Weekend in the EFL is where hopes and dreams are dashed, raised or realised. The two games in four days with everyone playing (mostly) at the same time really amps up the pressure and, this year, will mean most sides have four games left to play.
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However, the picture is a bit more confused than usual this season with lots of teams having matches to catch up on and plenty in League One already having played 42. One thing is certain, though, we are right at the business end of things now.
Who’s stepping up to the mantle? Who’s wilting under the pressure? We’ll know a lot more by 5pm on Monday. All I can do is crunch the numbers, study the form lines and check which way the wind’s blowing to, hopefully, bring you four winning bets. Here’s you Good Friday 3pm EFL four-fold acca.
*An accumulator with these four bets pays at approximately 32/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP.
Swansea v Barnsley – Swansea to Win & BTTS
Finding a punt in the Championship’s Good Friday 3pms has proven to be a little tricky as everyone seems to have won two lost two and drawn one over the last five games. However, the one team in stand-out form in our allotted time slot is 14th-placed Swansea.
They’re at home to Barnsley who are 22nd and staring relegation right in the face as there’s an eight-point gap to Reading in 21st, though The Tykes do have a game in hand. The home side are a little on the short side but I think we can add some real hearty value by siding with Swansea to Win and Both Teams to Score.
The Swans are unbeaten in their last five, winning four and drawing just one. Barnsley have won just one of their last seven, drawing three and losing four. However, they have been scoring with regularity and have netted in five of their last six, conceding in the same number.
In their last nine, Swansea have scored in seven, though they are better at the back conceding in five of those. Barnsley are really in do-or-die territory and will have to throw the kitchen sink at some point. It all plays into our hands and I really like the look of Swansea to Win and Both Teams To Score.
Accrington v Burton – Accrington to Win
To League One where Accrington in 14th host 17-placed Burton. On paper this looks a pretty even match but I’m happy to side with Accrington to Win. This selection pretty much comes down to both sides’ respective home and away form.
Stanley have the 11th-best home record in the division with 38 points from 21 games, an average of 1.8 points per match. The Brewers are pretty shoddy on the road and have the 5th-worst away record with 16 points from 21 games, an average of 0.76 points per match.
Neither of these two are in particularly good form, either. Burton have won one of their 10 most-recent games, drawing three and losing six. Accy, over the same timeframe, have won three, drawn two and lost five. However that home vs away form is appealing and the hosts did manage to win last Saturday so I’ll take on the Accrington Win.
Crewe v AFC Wimbledon – AFC Wimbledon to Win
Now, if you’ve got even the slightest interest in League One you’ll probably know that AFC Wimbledon are on an absolutely pathetic run of form. You’ll also know that Crewe have been a shambles this season and became the first team to be relegated in the top four tiers of English football at the weekend.
Brace yourselves because the next couple of sentences are going to make hard reading. Crewe have lost 15 of their last 16 matches, picking up just the one win in that run. The Dons have not won in any competition since the start of December. That was 25 games ago! They have managed to pick up 11 draws in that time but that achievement is hardly going at the top of the CV, is it?
However, they are playing Crewe and everyone beats Crewe. Doncaster, in 23rd, beat The Railwaymen 2-0 last time out and MK Dons beat them the game before. The real Dons have a hope of staying up and will be buoyed by their 1-1 draw with the aforementioned fake Dons on Saturday.
Wimbledon really, really need to win here while Crewe are already dead and buried with nothing to play for. The South London side are three points from safety and can kick-start a late survival push with a Wimbledon Win over the hapless Alex. If they don’t win this they absolutely deserve to go down.
Barrow v Forest Green – Forest Green to Win
Forest Green had gone through a bit of a shaky spell from the middle of February to the middle of March but they’ve recovered of late to go five games undefeated, winning three of those. They had gone a month without winning before that but it looks like they’ve rediscovered their form in the nick of time to keep their grasp on the League Two title.
They’re five points clear of Exeter with six to play and have the better goal difference to boot. They could ask for no friendlier opponent on Friday than a Barrow side who started well but are now in freefall.
They’ve plummeted to 21st and have realistic chances of dropping back into the National League. They’ve lost four in a row and have won just one of their last 12. While Rovers might not be the unstoppable train they were in the first half of the season they should have enough to secure the points with a Forest Green Win here.
Friday EFL acca
Swansea v Barnsley – Swansea to Win and Both Teams to Score
Accrington v Burton – Accrington to Win
Crewe v AFC Wimbledon – AFC Wimbledon to Win
Barrow v Forest Green – Forest Green to Win
*An accumulator with these four bets pays at approximately 32/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP.
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*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change
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