It’s getting to that stage of the season now where each game week makes me cry a little inside. Don’t get me wrong, I do love a Saturday packed full of football, but each week brings the end of the season even nearer and with only a couple of weeks left, I’m not going to lie, it hurts. Hopefully we can round off the season in style though with a few winners. As always, I’ve picked one team from each of the top 5 English leagues that I think can bag 3 points and put them into my match odds acca.
Watford v Aston Villa
I’m starting in the Premier League with a bet that has odds that I simply don’t understand. Sure, Watford aren’t in the greatest form, but against a relegated Villa side who have lost 10 consecutive games conceding 27 goals in the process, a win is surely on the cards for a home side.
Neither has anything to play for, but if you’ve watched Villa in recent weeks you’ll know that they’d be lucky to keep a clean sheet against Rushden & Diamonds, let alone Watford and having won 2-3 at Villa Park earlier this season, I think The Hornets can do the double over a woeful Villa outfit. (sorry Jason Canham & Craig Kirwan if you’re reading this)
Watford to win at 4/6 with Coral
Rotherham v Blackburn
The Championship looks far too hard for me to call any kind of win this Saturday, so I’m afraid I’m going to have to revert to form and back a bit of a big girls blouse bet for this leg.
I’m going to take Rotherham simply to get something out of this game which as a single is a bit dodgy on the odds, but it works well as part of this acca. They are a completely different side under Warnock and having escaped relegation which at one point seemed impossible, they are now a win away from moving up to 16th!
It’s 11 games since they last lost a Championship fixture and this weekend they take on a Blackburn side who only narrowly beat Rotherham earlier this season and have won only 2 of their last 10 games. I’m taking Rotherham on the double chance market here though, so we need a draw or a win to get this leg home.
Rotherham or Draw at 4/11 with Coral
Crewe v Doncaster
The race to escape relegation to League Two is really heating up now with 5 sides fighting it out to avoid the 2 remaining relegation spots. Two sides who are already confirmed for life in League Two next season are Colchester and Crewe, the latter of whom face Doncaster at the Alexandra Stadium this Saturday.
Crewe have won just once in 2016 so far and that was back in February. Since then they’ve played 15 games, drawing 5 and losing 10. Doncaster are the visitors and though they also need results to go their way, they can still mathematically escape relegation. A win here will make next weeks’ game against a Fleetwood side who are also in trouble absolutely massive.
Donny are undefeated in 3 games now with wins against high flying Wigan and top half Coventry thrown in. They’ve hit form at just the right time and I think they can take this to the final day of the season with 3 points against a poor Crewe side.
Doncaster to win at 4/6 with Coral
Cambridge v Plymouth
Down into League Two here and the bookies are making Plymouth slight favourites for their fixture with Cambridge this weekend but I feel the edge should be with the hosts.
Cambridge HAVE to win this game if they are going to stage a late push for the playoffs as they currently sit 5 points adrift of Wimbledon with only 6 points to play for. They come into this in decent form though having not lost in 6 games and having beat Morecambe 7-0 in their last game here at home.
The visitors are guaranteed a playoff spot and could yet achieve automatic promotion if any sides around them slip up. But last weekend they were beaten 2-3 at home to already relegated Dagenham & Redbridge and they’ve failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 6 consecutive games.
Cambridge also have a decent record against Plymouth, beating them away from home earlier this season and not losing here at home to them since 1996. I think they can at least get a draw out of this one.
Cambridge or Draw at 4/7 with Coral
Welling United v Boreham Wood
Welling have certainly had a season to forget in the National League this year and on the final day of the season having lost 58% of their games played, they face Boreham Wood in the knowledge that regardless of what happens, they’ll be playing at a lower level next year.
For Boreham Wood though, everything is at stake here. 2 wins on the bounce against Aldershot and Guiseley have propelled them to 19th in the league, but only 1 point clear of relegation going into the final game. A win will seal their survival and given that both of the sides directly below them have fixtures against sides who have nothing to play for, a win could well be what is required.
In their last 10 home games, Welling have won 1, drawn 2 and lost 7 and with Boreham Wood routinely dispatching Welling 2-0 earlier this season, this looks a solid pick in my eyes.
Boreham Wood to win at 8/13 with Coral
The 5-fold pays 8.5/1 with Coral
