Accumulator betting does not get more frustrating than that. Just one goal let down our coupon last week, and that was a mere 90th minute consolation from Norwich that scuppered our Under 2.5 Goals selection at Bolton.
Otherwise, our other four selections landed with ease, and we were left ruing Bolton’s moment of slack defending that separated failure from a near 11/1 acca success.
We can have confidence, at least, that the selections we are serving up are based on sound logic, and so even with an international break we can tackle the remaining fixtures with a flourish.
So here are this week’s football accumulator tips:
- Blackpool vs Portsmouth: Blackpool Double Chance (4/7)
- Oxford United vs Northampton Town: Oxford to Win (3/4)
- Coventry City vs Mansfield Town: Coventry to Win (Evens)
- Swindon Town vs Chesterfield: Swindon to Win (3/4)
- FC Halifax vs Woking: Halifax to Win (Evens)
- Acca Odds: 18.25/1
Blackpool vs Portsmouth: Blackpool Double Chance
It was the news that Blackpool fans had been longing to hear: the club’s despised owners, the Oyston family, lost their court case against a former director and were now expected to pay back the not-insubstantial amount of £30 million in damages.
The upshot is that they may – and knowing their love of litigation, we must stress the word *may* – have to sell the club to raise the capital, and nothing would please the Blackpool fans more. Expect a party atmosphere at Bloomfield Road on Saturday.
Portsmouth have lost their last four matches in all competitions, and they seem to particularly struggle on the road (W2 D1 L5).
Oxford United vs Northampton Town: Oxford to Win
Oxford are the kind of team it’s easy for punters to fall for; only four teams in League 1 have scored more goals than them this term, and they have lost just once in eight at home.
That’s a nice mix heading into an encounter on their own patch with Northampton, who remain in the bottom four despite an improvement (of sorts) of late.
The FA Cup halted the momentum of the Cobblers, who had won two on the bounce – albeit single-goal victories over woeful Gillingham and beleaguered Blackpool.
Oxford can outscore anyone on their day, and we fancy that they will take a liking to Northampton on Saturday.
Coventry City vs Mansfield Town: Coventry to Win
After a tricky spell in which they failed to find the net in four outings, Coventry laid to rest any questions about their promotion credentials in League 2 with an emphatic 3-0 win at Luton just prior to the FA Cup break.
Even with their profligacy in front of goal, it is worth remembering that the Sky Blues have only shipped two goals in eight matches at the Ricoh Arena – a recipe for success if ever there was one.
Mansfield, who many fancied to do well this term, are without a win in five and sit 18th out of 24 in a hypothetical ‘away table’. The cause of their failing to meet expectations is clear for all to see.
Swindon Town vs Chesterfield: Swindon to Win
Swindon are going great guns at the moment, and six wins in their last nine league outings is testament to a club desperate to return back to the third tier of English football.
They’ve beaten some decent outfits of late, including Cambridge, Mansfield and a then in-form Port Vale, and they put five past Dartford in the FA Cup last time out in what could have been a tough fixture.
Chesterfield are bottom of the league and for good reason, and it is obvious that when playing away against the division’s better sides they come unstuck: the Spireites have already lost at Notts County, Newport, Luton, Lincoln and Cambridge this term.
FC Halifax vs Woking: Halifax to Win
Woking put in an excellent shift to earn a draw against League 1 side Bury last time out, and now the two teams will lock horns again next Tuesday in the replay.
That’s interesting because surely their eyes will be ‘off the ball’ this week against Halifax; particularly seeing as though they have lost each of their last three Vanarama National games. They have taken just nine points on the road compared to nineteen at home, too.
Halifax were excellent from mid-August to the end of September (W6 D1 L1), and so we’re willing to take a chance that a return to more positive form is just around the corner.