Saturday Selections

The first weekend of the new football league season is an absolute minefield – even more so than the betting on some well researched friendlies and Europa League ties that have been the fodder for many during the last weeks. Nearly all of the sides are unknown quantities to at least some degree and gaining a reliable edge over the oddsmakers at this stage is a tough proposition.

However, this being a betting blog it would be a pretty poor effort not to have a go, and in that spirit there are a few teams whose ante-post value could also point towards some early season profit. Even so, stakes probably ought to be small at this time of year while the sun is still shining and no-one is worried whether the game at Macclesfield will it make it past the pitch inspection.

Links to previews are able for three of the five selections below. The reasoning for the remaining two:

Exeter and Leyton Orient both have excellent draw no bet claims, as they travel away to teams who are expected to be at the bottom end of League One. For all of the good feeling around Stevenage, their promotion to League One came in spite of a poor home record verses the top sides in League 2 last season. Further, their opening match in the Football League a season ago – with all of its hype and expectation – saw them have to come from behind to scrape a 2-2 draw with lowly Macclesfield. A feel good factor will not be enough to push Stevenage over the line against Exeter City.

Leyton Orient, meanwhile, look very much like a dark horse playoff contender on paper with excellent manager Russell Slade at the helm and a selection of summer signings that include Jamie Cureton and Marc Laird. After only just missing out on the playoffs, Orient are value to steal an opening day win against a Walsall side who look destined for a finish at the lower end of the league (even if they should improve on their relegation form of a year ago).

SUGGESTIONS:

BRENTFORD v Yeovil – 1pt @ 5/6 @ Blue Square, 888 Sport and Coral

PRESTON NORTH END v Colchester – 1pt @ 5/6 @ Bet365

DRAW NO BET – Stevenage v EXETER – 1pt @ 6/4 @ Bet365 and William Hill

DRAW NO BET – Walsall v LEYTON ORIENT – 1pt @ Evs @ Paddy Power, Skybet and Unibet

SHREWSBURY v Plymouth – 1pt @ 10/11 @ various (11/12 @ 32Red)

Results will be posted by close of Saturday - all comments welcome!

Brentford v Yeovil Town

The money has been coming in for Brentford during the pre-season and Uwe Rosler’s men could not wish for a better start than a home opener against relegation candidates Yeovil.

Comparisons between the new Brentford manager and Gus Poyet, who won the League with Brighton a year ago, are far too premature to be taken seriously, but there are some convincing signs that Brentford are moving in the right direction. In signing Clayton Donaldson, Brentford have a player who scored 29 times for Crewe a season ago in League Two,  has bags of potential and should adapt to the demands of League One football readily. Goal scoring should also be helped by the Bees creative but stiff midfield that has been bolstered with loan players from Celtic and West Brom and a promising pre-season suggests that Brentford could be a force to reckoned with for some of the bigger guns on the fixture list.

Yeovil, not one of those bigger guns, meanwhile have shown ability in recent seasons not only to survive in League One but to do so with some comfort. Indeed, Brentford were one of a number of away scalps for the Glovers last season, but with a young squad that has not been bolstered over the summer with any key signings, it is possible that the south west club may be standing still while others around them are moving forward. Yeovil have defied the odds in League One ever since their promotion and their fans may suggest that I am falling into a trap that has caught many before me, but Brentford look value at only a shade of odds on to set the tone for the very different campaigns that both of these sides could be in for.

SUGGESTION:

BRENTFORD  – 1pt @ 5/6 @ Blue Square, 888 Sport and Coral