Championship Betting: Back goals as two in-form sides go head-to-head

Mick McCarthy's in-form Ipswich should get amongst the goals

There are some intruiging games in prospect in the Championship this weekend says Mike Norman, not least at the Macron Stadium where our man believes in-form Bolton and Ipswich will be amongst the goals...

Bolton 2.727/4 v Ipswich 2.8615/8; The Draw 3.412/5

An intruiging game between two of the division's in-form teams.

Bolton have won four and drawn two of their last seven under Neil Lennon, significant perhaps in terms of the Match Odds market is that those four wins all came at the Macron Stadium - in fact Lennon has a 100% winning record in front of his home fans.

Ipswich meanwhile are up to second in the table after a magnificent run that has seen them take 16 points from the last 18 available. Mick McCarthy's men have played some good sides in that run, including the likes of Wolves, Watford, and in-form Bournemouth. Last Saturday they thrashed Leeds by scoring four goals.

And it's 'Goals' that I'm keen on backing here. Bolton's first three home wins under Lennon were achieved by scoring exactly three goals in each game, whereas Ipswich haven't failed to score away from home since early August.

The Trotters will be keen to maintain their excellent home form while the Tractor Boys are extremely dangerous in attack through the excellent David McGoldrick and Daryl Murphy. Both sides will fancy their chances here.

There's always a possibility that two in-form sides will cancel each other out of course, but given the amount of goals they've scored in recent weeks I'm surprised we can back Over 2.5 Goals at 2.0421/20.

Recommended Bet
Back Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.0421/20

Rotherham 2.9215/8 v Nottm Forest 2.6413/8; The Draw 3.55/2

Rotherham have drawn over 50% of their league games during the last three months, a period stretching 15 games, so that stat alone should tell us that constantly being offered odds of around 3.55/2 about the Millers drawing represents value.

That draw percentage rises even further - to 62.5% - if we take into account Rotherham's last eight games only, and it's three draws from their last four, including their last two.

Steve Evans' side are obviously struggling for wins and I dare say many people will be tempted to back Nottm Forest here, but Stuart Pearce's men have hardly been setting the world on fire recently either.

Like Rotherham, Forest also went through a tough run of form, failing to win in 10 league and cup games at one point but drawing 50% of those matches. They've since won two of their last four but in recent weeks they've lost narrowly to lowly Birmingham before drawing at home with Charlton.

What we have here then is two sides who are struggling to find the winning groove but remain no pushovers on their day. Forest are undoubtedly the better side, but given their current patchy form and that Rotherham have home advantage then I can see the draw being a huge player here.

Recommended Bet
Back The Draw @ 3.55/2

Sheff Wed 2.35/4 v Wolves 3.412/5; The Draw 3.55n/a

The wheels have seemingly fallen off Wolves' early efforts to establish themselves are genuine promotion contenders, taking just one point from the last 18 available.

Kenny Jackett's men had already lost to Ipswich before they were thrashed in front of the live TV cameras by midlands rivals Derby. That result seemed to have a negative impact on Wolves as they were then soundly defeated at home to a relatively out of form Nottm Forest side before going down 4-0 at Brentford.

They were slighly better last weekend, but letting slip a 1-0 lead at home to Bournemouth to eventually lose 1-2 means Jackett's men have now lost five in a row, conceding an alarming 16 goals in the process.

Sheffield Wednesday on the other hand have recorded back-to-back league wins for the first time since September, moving them above Wolves and into the top half of the table. Last Saturday's 1-2 win at Blackburn - a side who were on a long unbeaten run themselves - was a magnificent result and hopefully they'll carry that form forward here.

The Owls are hardly in sparkly form, but to be able to back a side on home soil who are on a winning run, at above even money against a team that has lost five in a row and who are conceding for fun, well that seems very fair to me.

Recommended Bet
Back Sheff Wed to Win @ 2.35/4

Championship 2014/15 Season P/L

Staked: 76 pts
Returned: 88.64 pts
P/L: + 12.64 pts

*based on 1pt each bet, 2pts best bet