5 League One Tips for This Weekend - Gameweek 8

Two teams with high hopes for this current campaign, Hull City and Peterborough United have started this season as they mean to go on.

Hull bounced back from a surprising 4-1 defeat away to Fleetwood last weekend, comfortably dispatching strugglers Rochdale by three goals to nil courtesy of a superb Malik Wilks brace. Grant McCann’s side have won five out of their opening six games, and the Tigers certainly look set on a swift return to the Championship this season, having scored ten and conceded just four so far.

However, Saturday’s opponents, Peterborough, also have their sights set on a promotion push having agonisingly missed out on a play-off place last season. The Posh have won three consecutive games since their narrow defeat to Sunderland on matchday three, and looked to have shored up their defence in recent weeks, conceding just two in their last four league fixtures.

This is certainly a tough one to call, so we’ve tipped both teams to get on the scoresheet, but the match to end in a draw at 100/30.

Ipswich have looked unstoppable so far, winning five and drawing one. Paul Lambert has reimagined their attacking capabilities, with Gwion Edwards leading the pack with five goals and two assists. They have also conceded just two, proving their ability to keep teams out which often let them down in the previous campaign.

The surprise package of the season, Lincoln City, still remain in third place despite losing and drawing in the last two fixtures. Last weekend’s 0-0 draw with Fleetwood was a disappointing result for Imps, who looked in control much of the game.

With Lincoln hitting a wall in terms of form, and nothing seemingly preventing Ipswich from winning at the moment, we’ve tipped the league leaders to win, and there to be over 2.5 goals at 7/2.

Two sleeping giants in Sunderland and Portsmouth claimed victories over one and other in the home and away fixtures last season. However, it is Sunderland who have started the brightest this campaign, and along with Ipswich, remain one of two unbeaten sides in League One. The Black Cats bounced back from a disappointing draw on matchday five with a comfortable win away to Swindon, but this weekend’s opponents pose a tougher test.

Portsmouth have been somewhat inconsistent thus far, drawing two, winning two and losing two in a mixed bag of results. They fell victim to a late Reece James winner against Doncaster last weekend and will be hoping to make amends this time around.

With Portsmouth struggling to keep teams out, and Sunderland conceding just one goal in six games, we’ve tipped the latter to win either 1-0, 2-0 or 2-1 at 9/4.

Doncaster will be looking to build on their impressive ninth-placed finish last season, and with just one loss so far this campaign, there is a possibility of a play-off push. After losing out 1-0 away to Wigan, they returned to winning ways against Portsmouth last time out, registering their third win of the season in five games.

Their opponents this weekend Crewe are unbeaten in three games, and will be looking to build on a decent run of form having lost their opening two fixtures. Despite drawing to Blackpool last weekend, impressive wins over Wigan and MK Dons showed both attacking promise, as well as defensive security.

However, Doncaster certainly pose a tougher test, but we can see this fixture ending in a draw, so our tip goes to the final score to be either 1-1, 2-2 or 3-3 at 7/2.

Plymouth are sailing through uncharted waters, but certainly look comfortable since their promotion from League Two. The Pilgrims currently sit in sixth place and have lost just one game so far against promotion hopefuls Hull. A win this weekend would be their third in succession, most recently defeating Northampton courtesy of a late Kelland Watts goal.

By contrast, Wigan have struggled to string together any sort of form, and despite bouncing back from an opening day defeat with two consecutive wins against Portsmouth and Doncaster, they are without a goal in their last two fixtures - which both ended in defeat.

With Plymouth in fine form, and Wigan struggling to find the net in recent weeks, our tip for this fixture goes to the Pilgrims to win to nil at 9/2.

By Charlie Rhodes