L1, L2, & Scottish Predictions > Jan 5th - 11th

[StevieDay1983]

[StevieDay1983]

Here are the odds and ratings for the next round of League 1, League 2, and Scottish Premiership matches coming up this week. It's a reduced fixture schedule in League 1 and League 2 due to the FA Cup 3rd Round but there's still enough games to keep us busy! Hit us with your bets for these matches! 

[StevieDay1983]

Cambridge vs Harrogate

It's League Two that has its preview posted first in here this week with the earlier kick-off taking place. Cambridge host Harrogate in a 3pm GMT kick-off on Saturday afternoon from the Abbey Stadium. Both of these sides suffered early elimination from the FA Cup so find themselves at a loose end on 3rd Round weekend. Makes sense to get their fixture played now then!

Cambridge are a side I remember fondly for being the club we drew with 0-0 away from home with just 8 men back in the 1999/2000 season. Max Rushden wrote about it in his newspaper column and it's still one of the funniest memories I have of supporting Cardiff. The U's are still in League Two and currently in 5th place and just 3 points off the pace of the automatic promotion spots. Mark Bonner (not the same Mark Bonner that played for Cardiff in that 1999/2000 campaign!) has done a cracking job with the club but the 2-1 win away to Grimsby last week was just the club's 3rd win in their last 10 league games.

Harrogate find themselves enjoying their first season in the Football League. Simon Weaver is just about keeping the club away from the danger of the relegation zone with the team in 17th place and 5 points above the drop zone with a couple of games in hand. The Sulphurites have lost 4 of their last 6 league matches and have yet to draw a league game since 26th September. You'd think that would make them underdogs for this clash but then you see that they've actually won 3 of their last 4 away league games and then everything is up in the air.

I'm not sure what it is with some teams playing better away from home but that's certainly the case for Harrogate. They're no longer groundsharing with Doncaster at the Keepmoat Stadium and are back at their home Wetherby Road ground but the home results aren't positive at all. Cambridge are going through a dodgy spell at the moment but they are still at the right end of the table. I just feel this Harrogate side are an awkward visiting side who will give their hosts problems. I think the odds on a home win just about make it worth backing Cambridge but I might take a hit and opt for the draw no bet as a precaution.

Cambridge Draw No Bet @ 1.73 with Betfred

BTTS @ 1.89 with SBK

[harry_rag]

Lincoln v Peterborough: 6 points on Howarth to score at 11/1 PP and 1 on the brace at 250/1.

The spreads see him as around a 4/1 shot and double digits does look big.

[StevieDay1983]

2 hours ago, harry_rag said:

Lincoln v Peterborough: 6 points on Howarth to score at 11/1 PP and 1 on the brace at 250/1.

The spreads see him as around a 4/1 shot and double digits does look big.

Unlucky mate. It was a weird game. The sending off just completely killed it with Peterborough just going for the draw and Lincoln not quite managing to breach their back-line.

[StevieDay1983]

Sunderland vs Hull

The big game in League One today is between two former Premier League clubs who haven't quite enjoyed very positive times recently. It's mid-table Sunderland versus high-flying Hull in a 7:45pm GMT kick-off at the Stadium of Light. Can the home side get their promotion campaign back on track with a win or will their misery continue at the expense of the away side's title challenge?

Sunderland are making a balls up of promotion from League One once again. Stewart Donald took the controversial decision to sack Phil Parkinson in November and replace him with former Bristol City gaffer Lee Johnson. That decision hasn't really had a chance to pay off yet with 4 of the last 5 fixtures for the club being postponed due to covid-19 issues. It has left the Black Cats down in 11th place and 4 points off the pace of the play-offs. The club are unbeaten in 3 league games since the defeat to Wigan on the day Johnson was appointed so there are already smalls signs of optimism at the club.

Hull had started the season very well with Grant McCann managing to pick his players up after the disappointing relegation from the Championship last season. The Tigers are still in 2nd place and 5 points behind leaders Lincoln with two games in hand. League form isn't great right now though with just 1 win from their last 5 league matches. However, that solitary victory did come in their last league win and that was a solid 2-0 win over Charlton. It's now two league games in a row without a win for McCann's side and if they fail to win here then that could risk giving them confidence issues on the road.

Given the size of these two teams it's strange seeing them battling in the third tier of English football. Still, it's the reality that no club is too big to go down to this level. Sunderland will be confident they can sneak a win here with performances improving under Johnson and the club having gone unbeaten in the last 5 league meetings. The fact Hull have also failed to score in 4 of the last 5 meetings in all competitions is also something their fans should be concerned about. I'm not sure I can call a winner here. I want to say Sunderland but I think Hull could sneak a point.

Draw @ 3.30 with 888Sport

BTTS @ 1.96 with Unibet

[StefanBB]

Celtic vs Hibernian

Celtic heads to this game after a narrow 1:0 defeat in Old Firm that hurt their title bid severely. The home side is 22 points behind Rangers, having four games in hand. Even if they win all those matches, Celtic would still be 10 points behind their fiercest rivals. Neil Lennon’s side enjoyed a four-wins streak before the Rangers game, and they managed to keep the clean sheet in all four. Odsonne Edouard and the lads tied three victories at Celtic Park, and they suffered only one defeat at the home ground. Celtic is the second most efficient team in league with 45 goals scored, and although they had some troubles in the back, they managed to consolidate the defense. However, the defending champions need to stop spilling points if they want to win their 10^th consecutive title.

After three straight defeats, Hibernian slipped to the 4^th spot being seven points behind their upcoming rivals. The visitors had severe trouble converting their chances into goals as they failed to find the oppositions’ net in all three games. Hibs celebrated only once in the past five rounds, and they need to get back on the winning track if they want to challenge one of the continental spots. Interestingly, Jack Ross’s side performs way better at away grounds rather than at Easter Road. The team from Edinburgh celebrated seven times in 11 outings this season, and they conceded only seven times when playing away from home. However, another tough challenge is ahead of them, and they would try to avoid another consecutive defeat.

Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction

Celtic allowed only three points to their rivals in the past ten years at Celtic Park, and those games ended in a draw. The visitors are on a bad run, and the home side could take advantage of that fact to pick up all three points from this clash.

Goals Market Prediction

Despite being the third most productive team in the league, Hibs are scoring just a bit more than a goal per game on average. They failed to score three times in a row, and the visitors also were unable to find the back of the net in the last three games at Celtic Park. We believe Celtic should keep the clean sheet once again.

Celtic to win @ 1.35

BTTS No @ 1.90

Correct score 2:0 @ 7.00