5 Tips for Tuesday Night's League One & League Two Action - 17/8/21

Early League One frontrunners Burton Albion and Sunderland go head-to-head at the Pirelli Stadium on Tuesday night.

Burton come into this match having beaten the likes of Shrewsbury Town 1-0 on the opening day thanks to a rare goal from John Brayford, as well as maintaining their perfect start to the season with a hard-fought win against Ipswich Town in front of their home fans, with Lucas Akins’ 86th-minute penalty being the all-decisive goal in a 2-1 victory for the Brewers.

Meanwhile, Sunderland have also got a perfect record from their opening two matches, having scraped 2-1 victories over fellow promotion rivals Wigan Athletic on the opening day thanks to strikes from Aidan McGeady and Ross Stewart. The latter mentioned player also scored the Black Cats winner against MK Dons at the weekend in a 2-1 away win for Lee Johnson’s side. Ironically, they also beat Port Vale 2-1 in the first round of the League Cup.

Sunderland were the bookies’ pre-season promotion favourites and are expected to go out and win what will be a tough game against another in-form League One outfit via a slender margin.

Portsmouth will be coming into their match against Shrewsbury at Fratton Park in good spirits having won both of their first two League One fixtures.

Danny Cowley’s men earned three points in a closely contested match against Fleetwood Town at Highbury on the opening day of the season as Lee Brown scored the only goal of the game on the hour mark. Pompey also managed a convincing 2-0 victory at home to Crewe last time out thanks to strikes from John Marquis and Marcus Harness, with summer signing Ryan Tunnicliffe assisting the pair.

Shrewsbury are currently at the bottom of League One having lost both games that they have played this season 1-0 to Burton, as well as being soundly beaten at the Mizuma Stadium in Morecambe, as the Shrimps scored two first-half goals through Adam Phillips and Cole Stockton.

The player in focus in this tip is Marquis, who managed to score his first league goal of the season last time out against Crewe. Last campaign, the 29-year-old forward managed to hit the back of the net 16 times in 41 appearances for the Fratton Park club which is a tally that he will be hoping to beat this time out.

Lincoln City and Bolton Wanderers face each other at Sincil Bank on Tuesday which is a game that could promise plenty of goals.

Michael Appleton’s side have managed four points from their opening two matches having drawn 1-1 with Gillingham at Priestfield on the opening day of the season, as well as defeating Fleetwood Town 2-1 at the weekend, via a brace from Anthony Scully.

Bolton have arguably been the most exciting team to watch so far this season as Ian Evatt’s side have been clinical going forward, but slack at the back. The Trotters drew 3-3 on the opening day of the season against MK Dons at the University of Bolton Stadium as veteran defender Alex Baptiste rescued them a point with a 95th-minute equaliser.

Evatt’s side then went on to draw 3-3 at Wimbledon on the weekend, blowing a 3-1 lead due to conceding 74th and 75th-minute goals to Aaron Pressley and Dapo Mebude.

In League Two, Colchester United take on Mansfield Town at the JobServe Community Stadium with the hosts looking for their first win of the season.

Hayden Mullins side are yet to score a goal in their opening two league matches this campaign following a 0-0 draw against Carlisle United at Brunton Park on the opening game of the season, as well as narrowly losing 1-0 to Northampton Town at the weekend.

On the other side, Nigel Clough’s Mansfield have got a perfect record so far, following a 96th-minute winner from summer signing Danny Johnson in a 2-1 win against Bristol Rovers at Field Mill, before defeating Newport County by the same scoreline last weekend at home thanks to goals by George Maris and Ollie Clarke.

League leaders Forest Green Rovers will be travelling to Spotland in good confidence that they can get a result.

Rochdale have had a poor start to the campaign having lost 3-2 against Harrogate Town at Wetherby Road on the opening day of the season, where Barrow born forward Alex Newby managed a goal and an assist, as well as drawing 0-0 against Scunthorpe United last time out.

Forest Green scraped a 2-1 win against Sutton United at the New Lawn Stadium on the opening day of the season via a stoppage-time winner from Ebou Adams before hammering Walsall 3-1 at the Bescot Stadium in a game that saw striker Matt Stevens get his second and third goals of the league season.

Rob Edwards’ side also managed an impressive victory at home to Bristol City in the League Cup via penalties, following a 2-2 draw after 90 minutes as Rovers midfielder Regan Hendry bagged a 96th-minute equaliser to take the game to the shootout.