League Two winner odds, relegation predictions and top scorer bets

Best bet

Northampton to finish in the top three
3pts 8-5 Betfair

Already advised

Northampton
2pts each-way 14-1 BoyleSports

Mansfield
2pts each-way 11-1 general

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League Two promotion predictions

Leyton Orient have raced into a seven-point lead at the top of League Two with the halfway point in sight, and the chasing pack are hoping that they are unable to sustain that relentless gallop.

Those in behind will take some sort of encouragement from last season’s drop-off by Forest Green, who limped to the title on a dramatic final day. They needed goal difference to get over the line despite having been ten points clear at the beginning of February.

The problem for Orient's rivals is that whenever the Londoners suffer a setback they come back stronger, having won 16 and drawn three of their opening 21 games.

Richie Wellens’ side have dropped just four points from 11 home outings and are the also division’s strongest travellers. In addition, they boast the healthiest goal difference, courtesy of being armed with the meanest defence.

That form is more often associated with the likes of Paris St-Germain in Ligue 1 rather than a team in the fourth tier of the English Football League, where pre-season title betting of 6-1 the field highlighted its competitive nature.

But Orient, who were 16-1 at the start of the campaign, are taking it by storm and are now no bigger than 4-6 to seal their third-tier return as champions.

Next Thursday’s televised clash with second-placed Stevenage already feels like a definitive game in the title race, but the form of Steve Evans’s men is starting to look patchy.

Boro have won only three of their last eight games so perhaps Orient’s biggest challenge comes from Northampton, who have nine points to make up on them.

The Cobblers only narrowly missed out on automatic promotion last season, with Bristol Rovers leapfrogging them on the last day courtesy of their 7-0 win at Scunthorpe.

But Jon Brady’s men haven’t let the disappointment get to them and have arguably come back stronger, losing only three of their opening 21 games.

Northampton have already won at Stevenage and are one of the few teams to have taken a point off Orient after a goalless draw at Brisbane Road, while they have also recorded away wins at playoff hopefuls Swindon and Bradford.

The Cobblers haven’t had a fully-fit squad to choose from all season but with those injuries healing they have been able to piece together an eight-game unbeaten run.

With the third-placed Cobblers growing in stature and having a seven-point cushion on Swindon in fourth, the claims of the current top three look healthy.

Those who backed Northampton each-way for the title at 14-1 are on a good bet and, although reeling in Orient looks tough, odds of 8-5 that they go up automatically still underestimate their prospects.

Wombles can kick on in playoff race

Best bet

Wimbledon to finish in the top seven
1pt 7-1 bet365

Verdict

There are going to be many twists and turns as the season progresses in the battle to make the League Two playoffs with inconsistencies blighting pretty much everyone involved.

The top three look a cut above the rest, but fourth-placed Swindon and AFC Wimbledon, who sit 12th, are separated by just four points.

It has been a slow-burner but Stockport, who are 13th and five points off the playoff spots, have dropped enough hints that they are ready to hit top gear and the pre-season title favourites are still expected to throw their hat into the promotion ring.

But odds of 4-5 about a top-seven berth, when up to ten teams are fighting for four places, look cramped and if there’s a surprise package perhaps AFC Wimbledon are it.

The Wombles took time to adjust to life in the fourth tier following last season’s relegation, and that’s no surprise given they have the youngest squad in the division.

But Johnnie Jackson’s side are finding their feet, having gone eight games unbeaten and keeping five consecutive clean sheets. They have technical quality all over the pitch, especially in highly-touted attacker Ayoub Assal.

That run of form features a 2-0 win over Leyton Orient and goalless draws at Salford and Swindon, which highlights their improvement and makes a quote of 7-1 about them finishing in the top seven an appealing proposition.

Mis-firing Gills sliding out of the league

Best bets

Gillingham to be relegated
1pt 2-1 Hills

Verdict

There are four teams in League Two far worse off than everyone else and it would be a big surprise were it not two from Colchester, Gillingham, Hartlepool or Rochdale that suffered relegation to the National League.

Pools are the only team who are odds-on of the quartet for the drop but there’s not much between them and Gillingham’s scoring woes make them the value at 2-1.

Quite remarkably, Gills have netted just six goals from 20 league games, firing six consecutive blanks, and are currently relying on their defensive line to help them pick up positive results.

Neil Harris’s side face a crunch clash with Colchester on Boxing Day but may not be as well prepared as their opponents given they were in EFL Cup last-16 action at Premier League Wolves on Tuesday.

Gillingham’s final ten fixtures also look remarkably tough, so if they don’t find some marked improvement soon they could find themselves in a precarious position.

Pools need to tighten up defensively as they are conceding too many goals and although Dale also have the losing habit, they do have some good attacking options and appear the most likely of the four to take points off stronger opposition.

Johnson steering Saddlers towards playoff place

Best bets

Danny Johnson top goalscorer
1pt each-way 8-1 bet365
Paddy Madden top goalscorer
0.5pt each-way 20-1 bet365

Already advised

George Miller top goalscorer
1pt each-way 33-1 Coral, Ladbrokes

Verdict

Bradford’s Andy Cook and Sam Hoskins of Northampton are joined at the top of the League Two goalscoring charts with 13 apiece and, as a result, are soaking up much of the market.

Both are bolstered by being on penalty duty but 10-3 is skinny enough about Bantam hotshot Cook while Hoskins, enjoying the scoring form his life, is unlikely to keep netting at his current rate from a midfield role.

The goals have dried up for Josh Gordon while his Barrow side could take a dip after Christmas, so Walsall's Danny Johnson makes most appeal at the prices.

Johnson has thrived since swapping Mansfield for Walsall this season, netting 11 goals in 19 league games, and the improving Saddlers are playoff contenders which enhances his prospects.

Doncaster’s George Miller, advised at 33-1 in the Big Kick-Off in pre-season, is worth a favourable mention but Stockport sharpshooter Paddy Madden could be overpriced.

Stockport failed to live up to the pre-season hype but they are beginning to put their best foot forward, which could soon see Madden make hay.

Even so, the 32-year-old, who has hit double figures in League One on six occasions, already has eight goals in 17 games so is bang in the mix.

With four places still on offer at a quarter the odds with bet365, Johnson and Madden are both of each-way interest.

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