Early Bird Tips For The EFL: Spotlight Falls On League One and Two During International break

The international break means a depleted fixture list across the English leagues, but with a focus on League One and League Two, we still have three Early Bird Tips for the EFL.

Two newly promoted sides reunite in League One. While League Two sees the top two sides meet in a mouth-watering clash.

A clean sweep gives odds of 6.34.

• Early Bird Tips for Stevenage vs Carlisle: Under 2.5 Goals
• Early Bird Tips for AFC Wimbledon vs Stockport: BTTS – Yes
• Early Bird Tips for MK Dons vs Notts County: Over 2.5 goals and BTTS – Yes

Acca odds: 6.34

Odds via bet365 as at 07:00, September 5th, 2023. Odds may now differ.

Stevenage vs Carlisle: This one looks Evans sent for Unders

England, League One, Saturday, September 9th, 15:00 (UK)

Two newly promoted sides clash at Broadhall Way on Saturday. The hosts will be hoping for a similar outcome to that of last weekend, a game which saw them run out 3-0 victors over last season’s League Two title winners Leyton Orient.

Boro have got off to a fantastic start in League One and are sitting proudly in 3rd place, being kept off top spot by goal difference only. They have also played four of their six games away from home.

Steve Evans lauded his side’s “controlled performance” at Brisbane Road, praising his players for carrying out the game plan they had been working on meticulously. All of which resulted in a fourth clean sheet of their league campaign so far.

Carlisle will be looking to become the first side to breach the home defence this term. Following on from Shrewsbury, who were defeated 2-0 and a goalless draw with Portsmouth.

The Cumbrians finally got their first win of the season last weekend after also beating the Shrews 2-0. Not only will they be looking for their first away point at the third time of asking but also their first goal following a pair of 1-0 defeats at Oxford and Port Vale.

All seven of Carlisle’s games across all venues and competitions this season have seen under 2.5 goals land. Elsewhere, only two of Stevenage’s eight matches have featured three or more goals and neither of their two home fixtures.

These two sides last met in March, playing out a cagey stalemate. They managed just one shot on target between them in a 0-0 draw.

• Selection: Under 2.5 Goals
• Best Odds: 1.85
• Bookmaker: bet365

AFC Wimbledon vs Stockport: Hatful of strikes expected to be served up at Wimbledon

England, League Two, Saturday, September 9th, 15:00 (UK)

After ending last season in 21st place, just five points clear of the dreaded drop to non-league football, AFC Wimbledon will be pretty pleased with their start this term. One of only three sides still undefeated in the English fourth tier, 10 points in the bag and sitting nicely in 5th place.

Things could have been looking even rosier for Johnnie Jackson’s men had they held onto their two-goal lead at Newport last weekend. Having to settle for a share of the spoils in the end.

James Tilley scored both goals in South Wales on Saturday to continue his prolific start to the campaign. The Brighton Academy starlet, now 25, has hit the back of the net seven times in his eight competitive appearances for the Dons. With all those goals having come in his last six outings.

Stockport were involved in a real topsy-turvy encounter on Saturday, taking a 2-0 lead at home to Crawley but needing an 89th-minute equaliser from Isaac Olaofe after the visitors had turned the game on its head with three goals either side of the interval.

That has summed up the Hatters’ start to the season in which they have not lived up to their billing as one of the pre-season favourites for the title. It is very similar to last term when, ultimately, they got going too late before missing out on the playoffs.

Goals look on the menu again with two sides that have been scoring but are finding it tough to keep the back door shut. The home side have seen both league games at Plough Lane finish 1-1 while also beating Coventry 2-1 there in the Carabao Cup.

The same applies to Stockport, with two defeats on the road, losing 3-2 to Mansfield and 2-1 to Walsall. Dave Challinor’s side did manage a draw away from home in the Carabao Cup at Sheffield Wednesday. But lost on penalties, with the tie finishing 1-1 after 90 minutes.

• Selection: Both Teams To Score – Yes
• Best Odds: 1.83
• Bookmaker: bet365

MK Dons vs Notts County: Keyne on goals with Mags attraction to the net impossible to resist

England, League Two, Saturday, September 9th, 15:00 (UK)

All three sides who went into the weekend top of their respective leagues in the EFL were beaten and replaced at the summit. MK Dons were the fall guys in League Two and meet the side who replaced them in pole position here.

Jonathan Leko gave his side the lead at Gresty Road after just eight minutes. Although that remained the only goal of the game until the hour mark, Crewe ended the match emphatically and ran out 3-1 victors.

Despite a positive start to the season, captain Alex Gilbey has been openly critical of how sloppy he and his teammates have been, highlighting in particular the goals they have conceded, with only Wrexham, Crawley and bottom side Doncaster conceding more than their 11.

Things look a lot brighter at the other end of the pitch, with 13 goals to their name so far. Graham Alexander boosted his striking options even further on deadline day with the addition of Ellis Harrison from League One side Port Vale.

Notts County went top of the table courtesy of two goals from Macaulay Langstaff. The 26-year-old plundered an incredible 42 goals last term in the National League, ending up as the division’s top scorer. His fourth goal this term secured a third successive win for his side.

This game looks primed for goals, and while the prices reflect that, we can get an angle in by taking both teams to contribute to the scoring. Both teams have scored with over 2.5 goals in five of the Dons’ six league games and in all of their last five outings in all competitions.

The story is very similar to the Magpies’. Five of their six league games has seen this bet land as it has in six of the last seven head-to-heads.

• Selection: Over 2.5 goals and Both Teams To Score – Yes
• Best Odds: 1.86
• Bookmaker: bet365

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