EFL Playoffs: League One & Two outright tips with 15/2 double!
Before becoming a Sports Journalist for Free Super Tips, Aaron spent three years studying Sports Journalism at the University of Sunderland while taking in the Black Cats' 'glory years' under Martin O'Neill. Now back in Northern Ireland he turns niche stats into predictions for FST, while he's one of the few people on this island who is equally comfortable at Windsor Park and the Aviva.
Both League One and League Two wrapped up at the weekend, which means the playoffs are right around the corner. Before the semi-finals get underway, we’ve called in Racing & Football Outlook tipster Harry Wilson to give us his picks for the final promotion spot in both divisions.
You can back the two picks at 15/2 below, while new bet365 customers can take advantage of this great offer before getting behind these two selections.
EFL Playoffs winner double
League One playoffs outright winner – Bolton @ 13/8
The League One playoff semi-finals should make for good viewing for the neutral, with the four teams in the mix the highest-scoring clubs in the division this season.
Peterborough lead the way with 89 goals this campaign and bar a sticky patch in early February, they have barely put a foot wrong all season, including going on an incredible run that saw them lose just one game in 22 between September 16 and January 27.
Darren Ferguson’s men have lost just one of the six games they’ve played against the three rivals in the promotion hunt, but that came in a replay of their first-leg match.
A couple of weeks ago they were hammered 5-0 at Oxford, who were winning their third game in a row, and that is sure to still be in their minds come Saturday.
Recent history is also against Posh as no team finishing fourth in the table has gone on to win the play-offs since Rotherham United in the 2017-18 season – and that’s the only time it’s happened in the last nine seasons.
Peterborough have crashed out in the playoff semis the last two times they’ve made it, including when throwing away a four-goal advantage in last year’s semi-final. They could be out of luck again against an Oxford side who have regained their form at the perfect time, with a 1-0 defeat to Lincoln their only loss in their last eight, and who have a good record in playoff matches.
Barnsley made the playoff final after a 2-1 aggregate victory against Bolton last year, but this Wanderers side are much improved. The Tykes also arrive in dismal form, having won just once in their last nine and having failed to win six straight at home going into the playoffs.
Wanderers’ home form is the best in the league and given they drew both games against Barnsley this season, we could see a solid performance away from Bolton before they get the job done at home.
The team finishing third has won four of the last five playoff campaigns – and five of the previous nine – which bodes well for a Bolton side who had the second-fewest defeats in the league and they will be tough to beat whoever they face.
League Two playoffs outright winner – Doncaster @ 9/4
Crawley capitalised on Barrow’s failure to win on the final day and secured themselves the last playoff spot with a 2-0 home victory over Grimsby.
That sees the Red Devils face an MK Dons side who made a miraculous recovery from a terrible autumn period that saw them drop to just outside the relegation zone after picking up four points from nine games.
Under the guidance of Mike Williamson, the Dons have amassed 62 points from a possible 99 and finished only eight points off automatic promotion, with the same difference between themselves and Crawley.
MK Dons have failed to make the playoff final in five previous attempts, twice blowing a first-leg advantage, but Crawley have largely struggled against the top six sides this season and have had a drop in form this month, so the Dons are likely to end their playoff hoodoo.
They are more than likely to have to get past one of the most in-form teams in the country at Wembley if they want to book their place in League 1 though, as Doncaster have rocketed up the table thanks to a 12-game unbeaten run.
Rovers couldn’t make it 11 wins in a row against Gillingham, relinquishing a two-goal lead after their goalkeeper was sent off and they went down to ten men. Still, a 2-0 victory over Crewe kickstarted their winning run and they should again see off the Railwaymen, who have only managed one win in their last nine.
MK Dons are leaking a lot of goals at present, something highlighted in their last two games as two of the least potent attacks in the league – Harrogate and Sutton – managed to stick a combined seven past them. That is a worry against a free-flowing Rovers side who have netted four goals in three of their last four matches.
The Dons also have a match average of 5.38 total goals in their last eight games, which will be music to ears of Rovers striker Joe Ironside, who notched his 20th goal of the season on the final day. With plenty of goals in store, this could be one for the ages, but Doncaster hold the edge.
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