Latest League One Odds: The Goalscoring Goalkeeper

As we head into the final few games of the season, League One is heating up, as you would expect, and there are several talking points of interest at both ends of the division. Indeed, there are still several changes possible and probable.

Let's take a look!

Not Yet... But Close

We start with the League One title 'race' and it is as good as done. So, we’ll not go into it too much.

Lincoln City are nine points clear at the top with a level playing field, in terms of games played, against Cardiff City. Cardiff must win and Lincoln must lose for the title race to extend past this week. 

Then, it must happen again and again. 

There is also the short matter of Goal Difference, Lincoln are ahead by seven goals. So, if by some miracle they lose their next three games, despite only losing five times in the past 43 games, they also need to ship enough goals to turn things around. 

No bookmaker is offering odds on the title anymore for this reason. 

With that said, Cardiff have confirmed their promotion to the Championship thanks to their win against Reading at the weekend.

It was thanks to a 96th-minute equaliser from Exeter’s goalkeeper against Stockport, which made it mathematically impossible for them to be caught in second. 

Going to the Wire

We move to the play-offs now, then, where there is only one spot available to be taken. In third place, Bolton played out a thrilling 3-3 draw with Huddersfield Town, where they scored a 101st-minute equaliser to effectively seal a play-off spot. 

There can be positives and negatives taken from the bout, but ultimately, the fact that they pulled two goals back with 10 men is thoroughly impressive. 

At the time of writing, they are the favourites to take the final play-off spot at 2/1 with Ladbrokes and its sister sites. 

Moving to fourth, Bradford City have stumbled a little with a loss and a draw in their last two games. However, they still sit in a position of strength.

They are six points clear of seventh with only nine more available. A win against Plymouth in midweek would confirm their own place and perhaps the fate of some others too…

The equaliser scored against Stockport this weekend has been a major talking point, due to the fact that a goalkeeper sent Cardiff up. It is a frustrating goal to concede, but they will not be held back by this, you’d imagine. 

They have four games left to play. So, with their first game in hand they can go level on points with Bolton Wanderers, whom they currently have a two-game advantage on.

It is almost guaranteed that they will be in the play-offs come the end of the season. If they aren’t, something major has gone wrong…

In the sixth spot, Stevenage are holding on to their promotion hopes by the skin of their teeth. Two negative results in their last two games have massively hindered their chances, but they are still safe, for now. 

The draw to Lincoln is not a bad result by any means, but they cannot afford these results on 68 points. Indeed, two teams are waiting to pounce and they very much could do so in the next few games…

Plymouth grabbed a big win against Wimbledon, which helped our Saturday football tips coming in. However, they will not be focused on that. Instead, they will be firmly focused on the fact that they are two points away from a play-off spot. 

It is certainly reachable and they have an advantage over Luton Town, even if their fixtures are slightly more difficult. 

Luton’s draw has made things really complicated. They would be a point away from sixth had they won at the weekend. However, they couldn’t do anything more than come back from a 2-0 deficit.

It is impressive enough, but they needed to be more solid if they wanted to be looking favourably at the table now. 

Plymouth’s final fixtures may be slightly easier - they face Northampton and Port Vale - whilst Luton face Barnsley and Rotherham. Yet, both teams have a play-off contender to deal with; the Pilgrims face Bradford in midweek, whilst Bolton wait on the final day for the Hatters.

It is going to go right to the wire.

Wimbledon in Danger

At the bottom of League One, we have two down now. Northampton lost their ninth game in a row and it sealed their fate, if it wasn’t already.

Additionally, Rotherham’s win against Leyton Orient is too little too late as they sit 10 points away from 20th-placed Wimbledon, with three games left to play.

Port Vale, in the eyes of the best football bookies, are as good as gone, too. Their draw against Wigan this weekend meant that their fate has been postponed for now.

However, they must overturn an 11-point gap. They have two games in hand on Wimbledon, so it is not impossible and their recent form has been much better. It probably will not be enough, though. 

So, we move to 21st, where Exeter scored a 96th-minute equaliser to keep their hopes of safety alive. A goalkeeper scoring is always fun. But in a moment like that, where they would’ve had a three-point disadvantage with two to play, it is vital.

Indeed, they are now just two points away from Wimbledon, whose recent form is atrocious and you’d think that they have more than a chance. Five points in their last three games is almost more than the Dons have picked up in the last month and a half.

So, they cannot be written off. 

Games against Burton and Bradford are not the kindest, given that they need to at least draw both. However, they do have a goal difference swing already, so they may be able to claw through them with draws…

Wimbledon, on the other hand, face Wigan and Huddersfield, which could prove to be tough games. With the Latics safe, though, this may be their best shot at points.

Paddy Power think that the conversation only extends that far, pricing Leyton Orient - who sit on 51 points - at 16/1 to go down. It would be difficult to suggest that enough will change in two games for them to really worry. 

Of course, it may happen. But, it’s not going to, surely…