LEAGUE ONE PREVIEW & PREDICTIONS
My last League One preview of 2018 follows some strange & surprising Boxing Day results in the division but I’ll soldier on trying to make sense of it all.
OXFORD UNITED v BRISTOL ROVERS
Caretaker manager Graham Coughlin takes his resurgent Gas side into this early 1 pm clash at the Kassam boosted by a fine away win at mid-table Walsall on Boxing Day following on from last weekend’s success v Fleetwood. Oxford’s four-game unbeaten run came to an end when they were narrowly beaten by Southend & will be keen to get back on track here. Two well-matched teams cancelling each other out here.
PREDICTION SCORE DRAW
ACCRINGTON STANLEY v PETERBOROUGH UNITED
John Coleman’s Accy side seem to have emerged from their recent sticky spell with their second straight win against Shrewsbury but the visit of a wounded Posh team who suffered their first defeat in six at Barnsley will be far from easy. A run of five draws in their last seven games has seen the Posh’s promotion push stutter somewhat & they may have to share the spoils again here.
PREDICTION SCORE DRAW
AFC WIMBLEDON v BLACKPOOL
The Dons come into this game on the back of three unbeated at home in League One. They are facing a Blackpool side that have lost their last three away from Bloomfield Road and a side who haven’t kept a clean sheet in their last six. Terry McPhillps has done a wonderful job considering the circcumstance but with Wally Downes already working his magic, the tangerines might have to wait a litte longer to turn their fortunes around.
PREDICTION HOME WIN
BARNSLEY v CHARLTON ATHLETIC
League One’s game of the day sees these two play-off candidates lock horns at Oakwell. Two straight wins for the tykes have boosted their recent indifferent form & they should be confident of improving their already impressive home form against an Addicks side who are nowhere near as impressive on the road as they are at the Valley, a late goal saw them suffer a Boxing Day reverse at the Ricoh. Home advantage to count here.
PREDICTION HOME WIN
BURTON ALBION v PLYMOUTH ARGYLE
The inconsistent Brewers are another team aiming for a third festive three-pointer as they welcome troubled Argyle to the Pirelli. Argyle come into this vital clash wounded by a damaging Boxing Day defeat to Wimbledon while the home side gained an impressive 3-1 victory over in-form Wycombe. Another major disappointment for the travelling green army I’m afraid.
PREDICTION HOME WIN
COVENTRY CITY v SOUTHEND UNITED
This is a very difficult one to call. The Sky Blues put a four-match losing run behind them to beat promotion-chasing Charlton on Boxing Day while the Essex side nicked a useful victory at the Kassam against an improving Oxford side. It’ll be a case of which one of these inconsistent outfits brings their A game but I’m going for a narrow victory for Mark Robins Cov.
PREDICTION HOME WIN
FLEETWOOD TOWN v PORTSMOUTH
Leaders Pompey aim to put the disappointment of their surprise defeat at Gillingham behind them as they visit Highbury for this clash with Joey Barton’s Cod Army who themselves enjoyed a fine Boxing Day win over promotion hopefuls Donny. Is there anything more dangerous in League One than a wounded Pompey? A narrow victory for the visitors here.
PREDICTION AWAY WIN
GILLINGHAM v DONCASTER ROVERS
Grant McCann & his Rovers troops make the long trip to Kent aiming to put what was probably their worst performance of the season behind them following their 3-0 drubbing at Fleetwood on Boxing Day. Steve Lovell’s Gills & their fans couldn’t be happier coming into this one fresh from completing the league double over leaders Pompey & should be brimming with confidence. Rovers defeat at Fleetwood was their first in seven games & are a good team at this level & are my tip to bring Gills back down to earth with a bump.
PREDICTION AWAY WIN
ROCHDALE v BRADFORD CITY
Keith Hill leads his Dale side into this Roses clash with confidence following Dale’s impressive victory over a good Blackpool side last time out. The improving Bantams gave an excellent account of themselves at Sunderland on the same day & can count themselves unlucky not to come away with some reward. The Bantams will battle for every ball & I believe that they could well take the points here.
PREDICTION AWAY WIN
SCUNTHORPE UNITED v WYCOMBE WANDERERS
Things at Glanford Park couldn’t get much worse at the moment. A mixture of anger & apathy on the terraces, the team losing every week (six straight league defeats) & only four points from their last ten games. Gareth Ainsworth’s Chairboys have troubles of their own however with a festive programme that has seen their recent good run shudder to a halt with surprising reverses to Wimbledon & Burton. A bit of an upturn for the Iron here in the form of a point.
PREDICTION NO SCORE DRAW
SUNDERLAND v SHREWSBURY TOWN
A rather fortunate 1-0 win over Bradford in front of an incredible 46000+ crowd helped put their Pompey defeat behind the Black Cats & they’ll be hot favourites to gain the points against Sam Ricketts Shrews here. The Shropshire outfit are no mugs however & will see the Mackems as a huge scalp & an ideal opportunity to put the narrow defeat at Accy behind them but I personally can’t see anything other than a home win here.
PREDICTION HOME WIN
WALSALL v LUTON TOWN
The Saddlers failed to build on their encouraging draw with play-off hopefuls Posh going down to a disappointing home defeat to Bristol Rovers on Boxing Day. Dean Keates has a mammoth job to reverse the teams worrying form as they continue to slide down the table.
What can you say about Nathan Jones & his all-conquering Hatters side? They are simply blowing away all opposition that is put in their way & look to be well on course for a second successive promotion & I can’t see Walsall standing in their way in this one.
PREDICTION AWAY WIN
words Ian Bradley, D3D4 roving reporter and predictions guru. You can follow Ian on twitter @Millmoor1