EFL WEEKEND: The EFL play-off semi-finals are finally upon us, and with them the euphoria and heartbreak of an entire season’s work congested into 180 minutes of football. We preview one semi-final clash from each of the three divisions, alongside some of our recommended BETDAQ bets.
CHAMPIONSHIP
Coventry City v Middlesbrough – Sunday 12:00
Coventry ended their domestic season against these exact opponents last Saturday, needing just a point from the Riverside in order to achieve a play-off position. The Bluebirds took the lead against Michael Carrick’s side and even a leveller from Boro just before half time wasn’t enough to see the likes of Blackburn Rovers force their way into this weekend’s schedule, with Coventry finishing fifth overall in the Championship.
Middlesbrough have known about their confirmed place in this weekends semi-finals for a few weeks now, which may be the catalyst for their domestic form tailing towards the end of the season, concluding their Championship campaign with two wins in eight after whispers back in March of troubling the automatic promotion places. Carrick will need to pick his side up against a team who have lost just once since February and will most likely have a greater sense of momentum coming into this one.
Coventry’s first win came at home earlier in the season came against none other than Middlesbrough, a result which proved to be a seminal moment in Boro’s season too, ending the tumultuous Chris Wilder reign with the club languishing in the relegation zone. Boro are undoubtedly in a better position now than they were then, but we reckon the Sky Blues look good value for replicating that early-season result. Backing Coventry at 2.66 is the play.
Coventry City v Middlesbrough markets
LEAGUE ONE
Bolton Wanderers v Barnsley – Saturday 15:00
Bolton confirmed their place in this weekend’s play-off fixtures before the last game of the season and largely have their rock-solid defence to thank for – their 37 goals conceded across 46 League One games representing the second best record in the division – and makes up for the fact that they only managed to find the back of the net 62 times, which was the second fewest amongst teams in the top 10.
It will therefore likely be another low-scoring and tight affair against Barnsley on Saturday, who ended the season quite meekly with two points from three games, conceding an alarming nine goals in the process. The Tykes may attribute that dip in form to the fact that they too knew about their play-off semi-final place a couple of weeks in advance, but will need to address a poor record against their hosts on Saturday if they are to reach next week’s final at Wembley, earning just one point from their two games against Bolton during the season.
On paper, this is a closer encounter in terms of the quality of opposition than Sheffield Wednesday’s tie with Peterborough in the other semi-final, so this first leg will likely be a cagey affair as both sides take time to work eachother out ahead of the return match. As such, we’re backing the draw at 3.3.
Bolton Wanderers v Barnsley markets
LEAGUE TWO
Bradford City v Carlisle United – Sunday 19:00
Having flirted with the prospect of finishing in one of the three automatic promotion places earlier in the season, Bradford only managed to finish in the League Two play-off places by the skin of their teeth after drawing their final league match against title winners Leyton Orient, meaning Mansfield Town finished just a single point behind them. It capped off an abject end to the season for Mark Hughes’ men, with a run of one win in five seeing them somewhat sleepwalk to sixth place, so they’ll need to wake up if they are to rid themselves of another season in England’s fourth division.
Carlisle also capped off their campaign in unspectacular style, with Monday’s late 1-1 draw against Sutton making it two wins in 11 for the Blues, who must be kicking themselves that their stuttering end to the season cost them a place in the automatic promotion places. Paul Simpson’s side will take encouragement that they statistically have the best attack out of the remaining semi-final teams, and will be licking their lips at the fact that their opposition on Saturday haven’t kept a clean sheet in five games.
Carlisle definitely had the better of the two league games earlier in the season, winning 1-0 in Cumbria on Boxing Day before claiming a 0-0 draw at Valley Parade three months later, but we’re backing The Bantams at 2.28 to bite back in this first leg.
Bradford City v Carlisle United markets
