EFL League Two season is in full swing: Match Day 10 Preview
Over the course of 9 rounds, we’ve already seen five different teams at the top of the table. Gillingham, who held the number one spot for four rounds, recently slipped up and now risk losing their lead. In our preview of the most interesting upcoming matches, we present the latest stats and intriguing betting options.
Who will get the League 2 title?
Now, let’s move on to some games of the upcoming fixture.
Grimsby Town vs Doncaster
At Blundell Park, the 8th place team hosts the 5th, one of the preseason favourites. The home side, Grimsby Town, have put together a strong three-game winning streak, silencing the jokes that referenced Sacha Baron Cohen’s comedy too often at the start of the season. Doncaster, on the other hand, have only managed one victory in their last five matches across all competitions, suffering three defeats. However, bookmakers still see the visitors as the favourites for this clash.
Grimsby vs Doncaster: who will win?
Midweek saw Grimsby daringly defeat the league leaders Gillingham away from home. The Mariners secured their second away win in just four days as Kieran Green netted the only goal of the match. The striker has found great form, scoring in two of his last three matches. However, despite his impressive run, Danny Rose is seen as having better odds to score in the next game. Rose has been consistently scoring once every three games, and having not found the net in the last two matches, it’s his turn to strike.
This season, David Artell’s side is simultaneously one of the highest-scoring and most conceding teams. Fans have witnessed over 2.5 goals in 8 of their last 9 matches. Doncaster, who aren't shy on offence either, have averaged 1.2 goals in their last 10 matches. This all points to a high-scoring affair, especially considering Doncaster’s strong away record against Grimsby, scoring in three consecutive encounters.
Grant McCann’s side features one of the season’s top scorers, Luke Molyneux, but the main threat is expected to come from veteran Billy Sharp. He has three goals this season and has been creating dangerous moments, like hitting the crossbar in the recent match against Barrow.
Doncaster have shown they are capable of more than their recent performances . After starting the season with three wins in four matches, they endured a poor run, which finally ended with a victory over Barrow. Grimsby seem to be the perfect opponent for Doncaster, having won three times as many head-to-head matches, including a 1-5 thrashing last season. Don’t expect an early burst from the visitors though, as they have yet to score in the first 15 minutes of any match this season. However, their superior attack is bound to exploit Grimsby’s defensive weaknesses, leading to a likely win for Doncaster.
Crewe Alexandra vs Gillingham
One of the highlight matches of the round features last season's playoff finalist and the current league leaders. Crewe Alexandra had a rough start to this season and are now scrambling to make up for lost ground. On the other hand, their opponents, finally delivering on their potential after an underwhelming last season, are currently sitting at the top of the table, reflecting their improvement.
Crewe Alexandra vs Gillingham: who will win?
The hosts approach this match as slight favourites despite the 11-place gap in the table between them and their opponents. The rough start to the season—just 1 point and a 0-6 combined score in their first three matches—now seems like a thing of the past. After an initial setback, Crewe Alexandra regained their footing with four consecutive wins, conceding only one goal during that run. However, they stumbled in their most recent match against Newport County (2-1).
Crewe have been prolific in front of goal recently, scoring in each of their last six games and netting a total of 9 goals during that period. However, they also concede over a goal per game on average, as shown in their heavy 0-5 defeat to Chesterfield. When put under pressure, the team can falter—just as they did against Newport County, conceding nine minutes after equalising when the opposition applied pressure. Given that Gillingham is one of the highest-scoring teams in the league (12 goals), any lapse in defence is likely to be punished.
Despite Gillingham’s attacking prowess, they are also the league's best defensive team, conceding, on average, only once every three matches.
Gillingham also slipped up in their last game against Grimsby, and neither team will want to risk extending their losing streak—especially Gillingham, who could lose their top spot. A quarter of Gillingham’s goals come in the first 30 minutes, while Crewe score much less frequently during that period (12.5%). With both teams keen to avoid early mistakes, it’s unlikely we'll see an early goal, and both sides may be content with holding a draw for most of the match.
While Gillingham may look the better team on paper, Crewe Alexandra have proven to be tough opponents, especially at home. Gillingham haven't won at Crewe Alexandra in their last three league visits, and overall, both teams are evenly matched in head-to-head encounters (2 wins, 2 losses, and 2 draws each). Given the stakes in this match, a cautious and balanced contest is expected, likely ending in a draw.
Notts County vs Port Vale
Stuart Maynard's Notts County side are on home soil as Darren Moore's Port Vale arrive at Meadow Lane. The second and eighth places are separated by only three points, so this is essentially a match for a spot in the top three—or, at the very least, a chance to secure a place in the playoff zone.
Notts County vs Port Vale: who will win?
The hosts, although somewhat unexpectedly, are having an almost flawless season. They haven't lost in 9 of their last 10 matches across all competitions. Notts County, one of the two top-scoring teams in the league, is averaging 1.8 goals per game. With an xG of 1.9, these stats look entirely justified. In a recent match against Carlisle United, the Magpies decided the game by halftime, scoring two unanswered goals. However, they more often press their opponents in the second half, where two-thirds of their goals are scored. Playing at home against an aggressive opponent like Port Vale, who will gladly accept an open game, County are bound to create chances throughout the match.
The experienced Irishman David McGoldrick has been delivering with braces this season, notably against Swindon Town and Accrington Stanley. Interestingly, when he scores, he tends to be the sole goal scorer for County. He has scored two match-deciding goals. There's a good chance that his next goal will also be a decisive one.
As we predicted in our preseason analysis, Port Vale bounced back after their relegation from League 1 and, under new management, are rushing to return to the top division. They are unbeaten for a month, averaging 1.5 goals per game. We're likely in for a high-scoring match. Fortunately, the Valiants also have firepower, with Jayden Stockley having scored three goals this season. Although bookmakers rate Ruari Paton’s chances higher, even though he hasn’t scored yet this season, we recommend keeping an eye on Stockley, who offers better odds.
Port Vale has a poor record against teams ranked above them, losing both such matches and failing to score in one of them. Given that they're playing away, we believe the Valiants will be satisfied with a draw, which we expect to be a high-scoring one.
Chesterfield vs Walsall
The Spireites have risen from the National League and are holding their own quite well, currently just three spots away from the playoff zone. Playing at home, they are considered favourites, even in a tough match against a team ranked third. This is a testament to their resilience and ability to adapt quickly to life in a higher league.
Chesterfield vs Walsall: who will win?
Paul Cook's Chesterfield are unbeaten at home this season. Although they paradoxically score fewer goals at home compared to away games, their home scoring rate is still decent, averaging 1.25 goals per game. What stands out is that more than half of their goals come in the first 30 minutes of play. In their recent game against Bromley, despite multiple second-half chances, they couldn't secure a win, showing the importance of their early pressure.
Both Chesterfield and Walsall rank among the top five teams in terms of goals scored, with a combined tally of 22. Walsall also leads the league in shots on goal, averaging over 9 shots per game for both teams. Chesterfield and Walsall have each scored three headed goals this season, making set-pieces crucial in what is likely to be a tightly contested match.
James Berry, Chesterfield’s highest scorer this season, is a constant threat, but the bookmakers favour Will Grigg, who netted twice in the previous match, to score in this encounter.
Given both teams' attacking capabilities, with Chesterfield and Walsall featuring prominently in the league's goal-scoring charts, this match promises plenty of action in front of goal. It's challenging to predict a winner in such a shootout.
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