L1, L2, & Scottish Predictions > May 21st - 24th

[StevieDay1983]

[StevieDay1983]

The second legs of the League One and League Two play-off semi-finals are coming up but we also have the Scottish FA Cup Final and the second leg of the Scottish Premiership play-offs. Tell us your predictions below and I'll get some previews up as well! 

[StevieDay1983]

Blackpool vs Oxford

The first of the League One play-off semi-final second legs is set to be played at 7:45pm BST on Friday night when Blackpool play Oxford at Bloomfield Road. It was a very one-sided affair in the first leg when the home side managed to secure a 3-0 win on their travels. Can the away team here turn this tie around or will the hosts turn this overwhelming advantage into a spot in the final?

Blackpool are aiming to return to the Championship for the first time since 2015 and things are looking good for the Seasiders after winning the first leg at the Kassam Stadium by a 3-0 score-line. It's not a result many, if any, people saw coming. A brace from Ellis Simms and a goal by Oliver Turton ensured the team put one foot in the play-off final and now it's just a case of keeping things tight to prevent them surrendering this impressive first leg lead. Head coach Neil Critchley seems to be fully aware that his team still have a job to do stating that if his team could score 3 goals at the Kassam Stadium then there's no reason Oxford can't come to Bloomfield Road and bag 3 goals themselves.

Oxford have it all to do here. Manager Karl Robinson knows his team need close to a miracle to turn this first leg deficit around but having got experience of reaching last season's play-off final he'll know what his team need to do to get there. The U's have a track record of being free-scoring on the road this season having scored at least 3 goals away against Accrington Stanley, Plymouth, Burton, Rochdale, Crewe, and Shrewsbury. However, all of those teams ended the season in 11th place or below so can they do it against higher-placed opposition?

Even the most optimistic of Oxford fans must be thinking that their hopes are all but over of reaching the League One Play-Off Final. Blackpool were clinical in that first leg and it's rare that such an advantage is over-turned but it has happened before. I think Oxford will certainly be coming out all guns blazing and I wouldn't be surprised if they won this game but I can't see them qualifying.

Oxford Draw No Bet @ 2.26 with SBK

Total Goals Scored Over 2.5 @ 2.08 with Matchbook

[StevieDay1983]

Sunderland vs Lincoln City

The second game from the League One play-off semi-finals is due to kick-off at 3:30pm BST on Saturday afternoon when Sunderland take on Lincoln City at the Stadium of Light. Up to 10,000 fans will be in attendance at this game as fans return to watching games live again but will they see their team overturn a 2-0 deficit from the first leg or will they end up going home in disappointment?

Sunderland have a big task on their hands if they're to reach the play-off final. Lee Johnson saw his team put in an encouraging display but still lost 2-0 in the first leg away to Lincoln City. The Black Cats will be looking back on that first 90 minutes and wondering how their general impressive play was without a goal. A Tom Hopper tap-in and keeper Lee Burge rushing a clearance that was charged down and finished by Brennan Johnson was the difference. On another day it could have been a different score-line but the team were punished for moments of lapsed concentration. I'm still not sure why Johnson refused to bring on Chris Maguire with the game running away from them but I don't really rate Johnson as a manager so it doesn't surprise me.

Lincoln City are on the brink of reaching a dream final with a chance of reaching the second tier of English football for the first time since 1961. Michael Appleton drew upon every bit of his managerial experience in the Football League to grind out that smash and grab win over Sunderland in the first leg. Goalkeeper Alex Palmer is set to return from injury which is a big boost for the Imps but will Appleton keep faith with Stoke youngster Josef Bursik after his first leg performance? Lincoln drew 1-1 when they visited the Stadium of Light back in March and a repeat of that score-line will be good enough.

I can't help but feel that Sunderland have messed this up already. Lincoln City have sneaked under the radar and you can't help but feel they were under-estimated by a lot of people, including myself, in the first leg. I feel that the return of the fans to Sunderland could actually work against them. It's now just 1 win in their last 10 League One fixtures for Sunderland so you have to think that the momentum has gone. I'm not even sure they'll win this game over 90 minutes.

Lincoln City Double Chance @ 1.92 with SBK

BTTS @ 2.10 with SportNation

 

[harry_rag]

St Johnstone v Hibs: 20 points on Boyle to score at 4/1 and 2 on him to score 2 or more at 35/1, both PP

Very pleasantly surprised to get that price about a player who takes pens and is the most prolific scorer looking back over each team's last 25 goals.

Hibs scored 26 in 17 while it took St Johnstone 21 goals to score 25. Very low goals expectation here, price on >2.5 is tempting but I'll probably pass (so form an orderly queue as everything I mention but don't back is guaranteed to come in)!

[StevieDay1983]

Morecambe vs Tranmere

It's the turn of the League Two play-off semi-finals on Sunday afternoon with Morecambe and Tranmere kicking off the action at 12:30pm BST from the Mazuma Stadium. The home team hold a 2-1 lead from the first leg so all the pressure and responsibility is on the away side to try and salvage this tie from the brink of defeat. How will this game end up going?

Morecambe will be very pleased with the one goal advantage they took from their trip away to Tranmere in the first leg. A goal each from Nathaniel Knight-Percival and Liam McAlinden ensured that a draw or win will see the Shrimps through to the final to play either Newport County or Forest Green Rovers. Manager Derek Adams will be hoping he can be the man that leads the club to the third tier for the first time ever in their history. 3 wins from their last 4 home league games shows they are a tough team to beat on their own patch.

Tranmere took a gamble in dismissing Keith Hill before the play-offs started and right now it looks like that controversial decision hasn't paid off. Ian Dawes saw his team fall short at home in front of 3,000 of their own fans with Peter Clarke's header not enough to take anything from that first leg. Rovers must now do what they only managed once in their last 7 away league games and that's earn a victory to give themselves any chance of progressing to the final. Based on the display in the first leg, there is still a feeling that this tie isn't lost yet with Rovers having enough chances to take more from the game.

You can't help but feel that the damage is already done for Tranmere. They certainly had opportunities to not only draw but win the first leg but it just didn't happen. Morecambe were opportunistic and clinical. A similar display and they'll be playing at Wembley in the final. Home advantage should work in their favour and I feel even though this game could go either way I can't see Tranmere winning.

Morecambe Draw No Bet @ 1.78 with BetVictor

BTTS @ 2.10 with SportNation

[StevieDay1983]

Forest Green Rovers vs Newport County

The second League Two play-off semi-final second leg is set to be played at 6:30pm BST on Sunday evening when Forest Green Rovers host Newport County at The innocent New Lawn. It's a 2-0 lead for the Welsh side after the first leg so it's their tie to lose but will home advantage with the supporters returning allow the hosts to pull their way back into this fixture?

Forest Green Rovers have it all to do in this second leg but the club's leading scorer, and former County player, Jamille Matt has stated that the players are angry at suffering a two-goal deficit from the first leg which was played in awful conditions. Matt made a shock return as a substitute in the game during midweek but was brought on later in the game. Manager Jimmy Ball has said he'd obviously rather be in Newport's position but they are also under pressure as the favourites now to hold onto that lead. Can they keep their nerve on the road? 1,500 fans will be inside the stadium so that could give the home side the boost they need.

Newport County know that they have room to breathe in this tie but matches can turn very quickly. You only need to look at how quickly Sunderland extinguished Lincoln City's 2-0 lead in the League One play-off semi-final yesterday. Granted, Sunderland fell short in the end but they had their chances and 2-0 is never a sure thing. Michael Flynn has confirmed Joss Labadie is fit to play but will he come back into the team after Matt Dolan's midfield display in the first leg including scoring that stunning strike? How will Newport also set up on a pitch that is certain to not be quite as boggy as Rodney Parade and could play more into the hands of the hosts?

As you know, I'd love to see Newport County earn promotion to League One and I feel they have enough about them to get a result in this second leg to see them through to the final. Forest Green Rovers just didn't look like a match for County in the first leg and I wouldn't be surprised if County managed to seal another win and take victory on aggregate in convincing fashion.

Newport County Draw No Bet @ 2.50 with SpreadEx

BTTS @ 2.10 with SportNation

[harry_rag]

Kilmarnock v Dundee: Buy Lee Ashcroft's Goal Rush Plus for 4 points at 1 and his goal minutes for 2 points at 2, both with SPIN

Goal Rush Plus awards 25 points for 1 goal, 50 for 2 and 100 for 3 or more so you're getting 24/1 that he scores with a free "topping" of extra points if he gets more than one. Goal minutes is the total time of any goals he scores and (given the average time of a goal is 50 minutes) also equates to around 24/1 although any goal he scores could obviously come in the 1st or 90th minute or anywhere in between. Best anytime price I've seen is 16/1 with 365 and he's 7s or less elsewhere, so I'm certainly backing him on the best available terms.

He's scored 5 times in 25 league games this season, 6 in 32 overall. All 5 League goals have come in his last 12 appearances (including a brace against Alloa). The average time of his league goals has been 65.8 which could be random or could suggest he goes forward more later on in games. I watched a few of the goals on YouTube and they were impressive headers from set pieces, with the commentary snippets suggesting he'd already been a threat from similar situations.

If we assume any significance in this season's stats (his first with Dundee) then even 16/1 would be a massive price. It's quite possible that they've worked on this aspect of his game and are consciously targeting him from set pieces, more than was the case at his previous clubs. If we dismiss it as a one-off blip we're looking at a player who had previously scored 14 times in 228 games which still equates to roughly 16/1 on average.

All in all this is a low risk bet that I believe offers exceptional value.

[slipkid]

4 hours ago, harry_rag said:

Kilmarnock v Dundee: Buy Lee Ashcroft's Goal Rush Plus for 4 points at 1 and his goal minutes for 2 points at 2, both with SPIN

Goal Rush Plus awards 25 points for 1 goal, 50 for 2 and 100 for 3 or more so you're getting 24/1 that he scores with a free "topping" of extra points if he gets more than one. Goal minutes is the total time of any goals he scores and (given the average time of a goal is 50 minutes) also equates to around 24/1 although any goal he scores could obviously come in the 1st or 90th minute or anywhere in between. Best anytime price I've seen is 16/1 with 365 and he's 7s or less elsewhere, so I'm certainly backing him on the best available terms.

He's scored 5 times in 25 league games this season, 6 in 32 overall. All 5 League goals have come in his last 12 appearances (including a brace against Alloa). The average time of his league goals has been 65.8 which could be random or could suggest he goes forward more later on in games. I watched a few of the goals on YouTube and they were impressive headers from set pieces, with the commentary snippets suggesting he'd already been a threat from similar situations.

If we assume any significance in this season's stats (his first with Dundee) then even 16/1 would be a massive price. It's quite possible that they've worked on this aspect of his game and are consciously targeting him from set pieces, more than was the case at his previous clubs. If we dismiss it as a one-off blip we're looking at a player who had previously scored 14 times in 228 games which still equates to roughly 16/1 on average.

All in all this is a low risk bet that I believe offers exceptional value.

 

I don't know if this is after-timing and frowned upon, sincere apologies if it is, but I had a few quid on AGS after reading this. Took 12 minutes. You, sir, are very much appreciated!

[Labrador]

4 hours ago, harry_rag said:

Kilmarnock v Dundee: Buy Lee Ashcroft's Goal Rush Plus for 4 points at 1 and his goal minutes for 2 points at 2, both with SPIN

 

All in all this is a low risk bet that I believe offers exceptional value.

Already on the board?. Great shout (and a header as well) - wish I'd looked in earlier as he'd just scored when I went to SPIN's website! Hopefully Dundee don't declare with a 4-1 aggregate lead already.

[harry_rag]

31 minutes ago, slipkid said:

 

I don't know if this is after-timing and frowned upon, sincere apologies if it is, but I had a few quid on AGS after reading this. Took 12 minutes. You, sir, are very much appreciated!

Fine by me, especially from someone with a Who-related name (mine being courtesy of the Kinks). Your signature quotes “Dogs” if I’m not mistaken; Pete channelling the Small Faces!

[harry_rag]

32 minutes ago, Labrador said:

Already on the board?. Great shout (and a header as well) - wish I'd looked in earlier as he'd just scored when I went to SPIN's website! Hopefully Dundee don't declare with a 4-1 aggregate lead already.

Yeah, a touch early for the goal mins but that’s why I split my stake. Nice to land one at those odds once in a while. Sometimes less is more; pretty much the only game in town so I gave it a proper study. It was either that or get the hoover out! 

[slipkid]

7 minutes ago, harry_rag said:

Fine by me, especially from someone with a Who-related name (mine being courtesy of the Kinks). Your signature quotes “Dogs” if I’m not mistaken; Pete channelling the Small Faces!

 

Ha! I almost brought up the Kinks reference but thought you may just be a Londoner that, you know, spoke like that... The version from the BBC is great. Listening now! And yeah, massive Who fan here.

 

Thanks again.