Football League Betting: Huge wins for Charlton and Swindon

English Football League / Michael Lintorn / 13 February 2012 / Leave a Comment

Chris Powell is likely to end Charlton's three-year stay in the third tier

"Charlton have won five and drawn one of six home ties with the eight sides directly below them, scoring 13 and conceding just one, while MK Dons are winless in six in all competitions."

Michael Lintorn looks at four of big midweek matches in Leagues One and Two, predicting victories for Charlton and Swindon over promotion rivals...

Charlton v MK Dons, Tuesday, 19:45, Match odds: Charlton [2.14], MK Dons [3.9], The Draw [3.4]
Postponements have given League One leaders Charlton a fortnight off and with none of the chasing pack, including fifth-placed MK Dons, applying much pressure in that period, they'll be even chirpier than before. The Addicks have won five and drawn one of six home ties with the eight sides directly below them, scoring 13 and conceding just one, while MK Dons are winless in six in all competitions.
Recommended Bet: Back Charlton to win @ [2.14]

Huddersfield v Sheffield United, Tuesday, 19:45, Match odds: Huddersfield [2.36], Sheffield United [3.6], The Draw [3.45]
Neither club has fared well against fellow promotion chasers, with Huddersfield winning two of eight clashes with top-eight foes and Sheffield United three in nine. The visitors have far more momentum heading into the fixture though, claiming victory in nine of their last 11 league games, whereas Lee Clark's side have mustered only four from their 11. The Blades are [2.3] in the draw no bet market.
Recommended Bet: Lay Huddersfield @ [2.38]

Gillingham v Southend, Monday, 19:45, Sky Sports 1, Match odds: Gillingham [2.58], Southend [2.9], The Draw [3.6]
The only televised midweek Football League encounter might be well worth tuning into based on the recent results of both faltering promotion hopefuls, Gillingham losing their last two matches 4-3 and Southend blowing top spot following a four-game winless streak in which they still scored four times. The Shrimpers' last six away league outings have all featured over 2.5 goals, with 27 strikes in total.
Recommended Bet: Back over 2.5 goals @ [1.8]

Swindon v Crawley, Tuesday, 19:45, Match odds: Swindon [2.52], Crawley [3.05], The Draw [3.4]
This match pits fifth against second but the duo are four and one point shy of leaders Cheltenham and rated the two League Two favourites, so it could prove the decisive showdown in the title battle. Crawley haven't triumphed in any of their last four away league games, and though they drew all of those, it marks a loss of form that Swindon, with seven straight home wins, will expect to exploit.
Recommended Bet: Back Swindon to win @ [2.52]

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Festival Handicap Chase: Charlton sets Knockara Beau March aim

News / Timeform / 01 February 2012 / Leave a Comment

Knockara Beau has opening day target.

"He was a little bit sore after the race, but he's champion now."

George Charlton has Cheltenham Festival aspirations for Knockara Beau following his third-placed finish in the Argento Chase.

Although the nine-year-old, rated 147x over fences but 149 over hurdles by Timeform, did not jump with as much verve as connections might have wished, a second-fence mishap did him no favours.

Trainer George Charlton said: "He hit the second (fence) and twisted a vertebrae. He was a little bit sore after the race, but he's champion now.

"The ground was also a bit tacky at the weekend and that didn't help, either."

The Northumberland handler is now considering running Knockara Beau in the JLT Specialty Chase, for which he's currently [27.0], on the first day of the Festival on March 13.

He added: "We'll probably enter him in one of the handicaps at Cheltenham, but he's gone up 7lb for the weekend, which is not exactly ideal.

"There's an open handicap over three miles on March 13 that we might look at, but I'd love to try him over further in time.

"He loves Cheltenham - the undulating track plays to his strengths."

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Home And Away: Huddersfield run to continue at Charlton

Daily Tipping / Jonno Turner / 28 November 2011 / Leave a Comment

Lee Clark will aim to cut into Charlton's lead at the top of League One

Jonno Turner is backing Huddersfield to extend the longest unbeaten streak in Football League history at The Valley, and fancies Malaga too...

We're off to La Liga this evening as Malaga welcome Villarreal to La Rosaleda aiming to extend their excellent recent home form.

Malaga are currently sixth in the league following an impressive run of seven wins in nine home games - the two they failed to win being against Barcelona and Real Madrid, which is very forgivable!

And Manuel Pellegrini has really got his side, who have won two of their last three, playing with confidence. Malaga invested heavily during the close season and have assembled an impressive squad featuring the likes of Joaquin, Santi Cazorla and Ruud van Nistelrooy - and contrary to some expectations, seem to have gelled pretty well thus far.

Villarreal head to southern Spain on a nightmare run which has seen them fail to win in 15 games on the road. You have to go all the way back to March to find the Yellows last La Liga success away from El Madrigal, and that barren run has contributed to their position of 12th in the league.

The home side smashed in three goals in their last game, and should have a few opportunities come their way against a Villarreal side which has conceded an average of two in their last four games away from home.

I'm sticking my money on the home win here, to lift Los Boquerones into fifth place in the league.

Bet 1: Malaga (HOME) to win @ [1.82]

It's the battle of the big two in League One tonight - as Huddersfield travel to Charlton in what promises to be a great game.

They appear to be two evenly matched sides so the form guide isn't much help here - both teams have been on excellent runs going into this one, and both have an abundance of talent at this level.

Charlton have won their last five in the league, however those games have been against some of the league's poorer sides - and haven't lost at The Valley since April. The team to beat them that day were Huddersfield.

And the Addicks are fallible, as shown by their loss to hard-working Stevenage last month. Chris Powell's side have conceded seven in their last seven outings in front of their own fans, which isn't a disaster, but against a side as solid as Huddersfield the odd goal could be the difference here.

Indeed, Lee Clark's side could make it 44 league games unbeaten this evening, which is an astonishing feat at any level. The Terriers boss has ingrained a never-say-die attitude into his charges and strengthened further on loan deadline day, snapping up Jon Parkin and six Duracell bunnies.

Jordan Rhodes has been in red hot form for the away side and goes into this game having smashed 21 goals, the same as Robin van Persie, in all competitions. And his side need to win here to keep themselves in the top two, following Sheffield Wednesday's win at the weekend.

There is no denying that this will be a tight game, however if anyone can stop Charlton, it's tonight's opponents, and at great value as well. Importantly, the Addicks are without their injured captain Johnnie Jackson, who has been instrumental in their success so far this campaign, and I think this could be a telling loss come 22:00 tonight.

Bet 2: Huddersfield (AWAY) to win @ [3.2]

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