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Boxing EFL Best Bets: Three Value Picks from Leagues One and Two this Saturday
EFL Best Bets: Saturday, March 25th
We are back with more EFL best bets ahead of this Saturday’s action. There are no Championship fixtures this weekend due to the international break which means the spotlight shines brightly on Leagues One and Two. We have some huge clashes to feast on with implications on promotion, the play-offs and relegation.
Three games go under the microscope, with a best bet in each.
In this article:
- Peterborough vs Derby Preview & Best Bet
- Hartlepool vs Leyton Orient Preview & Best Bet
- Crawley vs Rochdale Preview & Best Bet
Peterborough vs Derby Preview
England, League One, Saturday, March 25th, 15:00 (UK)
Darren Ferguson is back for a fourth spell in charge of Peterborough. It seems to be a union that just works, especially in the third tier. Posh have won eight of his 13 games in charge scoring 24 goals in the process. Including eight in back-to-back wins from their last two fixtures. Those victories have moved United up to 7th in the table, four points behind Bolton in the last play-off spot but with a game in hand.
Derby are having a wobble at the worst possible time. A 5-0 thrashing of Morecambe in February was a 15th league game unbeaten and a sixth straight win. The Rams’ eyes were firmly set on the automatic promotion places. Since then they have only won three of nine games, keeping just two clean sheets and shipping 16 goals. Paul Warne’s men are now looking over their shoulders. A win here and they put a seven-point cushion between themselves and the hosts. Slip to another defeat and that gap shrinks to a solitary point.
Peterborough vs Derby Best Bet
Peterborough’s home fixtures this season have an average of exactly three goals per game. No side can top that in League One. With 12 (67%) of those 18 matches seeing the back of the net hit at least three times. Also a league high.
In Jonson Clarke-Harris they also have a goal-scoring cheat code in the English second tier. He has 22 goals to his name so far this season, nine of which came in the 13 games since Ferguson returned. If the 28-year-old goes close to matching the tally of 31 he plundered on his last tour of duty at this level, Posh will likely make that top six.
For their part Derby’s last 10 games have seen a whopping 35 goals. With both teams scoring in each of the Rams’ last six road trips. Combining for a total of 26 goals with at least three in all of them.
- Selection: Over 2.5 goal line (TRACKED BET)
- Best Odds: 1.925 (bet365)
- Stakes: 8/10
More Peterborough vs Derby Tips
Hartlepool vs Leyton Orient Preview
England, League Two, Saturday, March 25th, 15:00 (UK)
Last month, sitting just one point above the relegation zone, Hartlepool opted to twist in a bid to preserve their hard-earned league status. Keith Curle, who had replaced Paul Hartley after a winless opening nine games of the season, was dismissed himself having won eight of 29 matches in charge. In came John Askey and the former-York boss has opened his tenure with four successive draws. As a result, the Monkey Hangers go into the weekend in the bottom two. Two points behind Crawley in the first position of safety having played a game more.
Leyton Orient are looking likely to exit the fourth tier too. However, the O’s are upwardly mobile sitting six points clear at the top of League Two. Richie Wellens’ side looked to have one hand on the title until they too picked up a dose of draw-itis. The league leaders sharing the spoils in each of their last three games.
Hartlepool vs Leyton Orient Best Bet
I was surprised to see both over 2.5 goals and both teams to score bigger than 2.00. In a game which sees a side second from bottom host the league leaders. Pools also have the worst defensive record in the division conceding 66 goals to date. But with Orient keeping just one clean sheet in both their last six games and last six road trips we should see goals at both ends. Especially with Askey seeing his side battle to score draws with 4th-placed Northampton and 5th-placed Bradford in their last two outings. However I am siding with over 2.5 goals here to keep the chance of a Leyton Orient rout “to nil” onside.
- Selection: Over 2.5 goals (TRACKED BET)
- Best Odds: 2.30 (Coral)
- Stakes: 7/10
More Hartlepool vs Leyton Orient Tips
Crawley vs Rochdale Preview
England, League Two, Saturday, March 25th, 15:00 (UK)
Crawley have burst out of the relegation zone by picking up seven points in the space of 10 days. Having lost six successive matches prior to that, Scott Lindsey will hope it is a sign his team have turned a corner. A cushion of two points to the relegation zone may not be massive but it is certainly welcome. With a game in hand on all those battling to avoid the drop the Red Devils at least have their fate firmly back in their own hands.
Rochdale can only dream of such luxuries. Their last 12 league games have yielded just one win, losing 13 of their last 20. All of which leaves them rock bottom of the fourth tier and seven points from safety. Dale did at least show they were up for the fight last weekend. Two down with 14 minutes on the clock Jim Bentley saw his side fight back to take a 3-2 lead with 20 minutes remaining. Two Charlie Austin goals in a five-minute spell looked to have condemned them to a 24th league defeat of the season. However, club legend Ian Henderson popped up with an equaliser deep in injury time. A point which could still be so crucial come the final day.
Crawley vs Rochdale Best Bet
This is simply a must-win game for the visitors. Slip 10 points from safety having played a game more and surely there is no way back. But if last week can be used as a gauge then if they are to go they are going to go down fighting. They will also take encouragement from the fact the home side had that extra game in midweek.
Crawley’s home matches have seen a joint league-high average of 3.18 goals per game. With 10 of their 17 fixtures at The People’s Pension Stadium seeing at least three goals. No side has a higher percentage of home games crossing the over 2.5 goals line.
Both sides will see attack as the best form of defence which makes for another goal-laden affair.
- Selection: Over 2.5 goal line
- Best Odds: 2.025 (bet365)
- Stakes: 6/10
Odds via bet365 and Coral as at 20:45 March 23rd 2023. Odds may now differ.
What are Football Best Bets?
Our best bets are posted by some of the best tipsters around. These are our tipsters best value bets. A best bet can be placed on any number of different markets. The most common of which are 1X2, the Asian handicap, BTTS, and the goals markets. Value can be found in matches from leagues across the world. Be sure to follow bettingexpert for the latest best bets.
