League Two Specials: Consistent Grecians can forge playoff push

Best bets

Exeter top seven finish
2pts 6-4 Hills

Bradford top Northern Club
3pts Evs bet365, Betfred

League Two specials verdict

Exeter consistently challenge for League Two promotion and the gutsy Grecians have enough quality in their ranks to nail down a playoff position.

The Devonshire club have finished ninth or higher in each of the last five League Two campaigns and that regularity of success, in such a tight-knit division, should not be underestimated.

The Grecians have suffered Wembley heartbreak three times in five years and although they fell short of the playoffs last season, they were only three points behind fifth-placed Newport.

Matt Taylor’s men suffered the joint-fewest defeats in the division with 12 and were the second highest scorers with 71 goals netted, so only minor improvements are required.

Attacking duo Ryan Bowman and Randall Williams have made League One moves, but optimism is high after Sam Nombe’s arrival from MK Dons and his partnership with 18-goal striker Matt Jay could be a match made in heaven.

Exeter’s tendency to unearth diamonds in the rough means their academy graduates are often in high demand and if they can keep hold of the fit-again Joel Randall and Josh Key then they are going to be serious contenders.

Even so, Exeter have shown on numerous occasions that they can replace departing stars and they have enough depth throughout their squad to seal another top-seven spot.

Bradford limped to a 15th-placed finish in League Two last season but the shrewd appointment of fourth-tier specialist Derek Adams has Bantams supporters upbeat.

The Yorkshire outfit are even-money to surpass the achievements of northern rivals Harrogate, Scunthorpe and Hartlepool, which looks a bet well worth having.

Despite their lowly finish last term, Bradford outperformed Harrogate and Scunthorpe while newly-promoted Hartlepool may need time to adapt to League Two life just seven weeks after their playoff win.

Survival will be the aim for The Iron and Pools, who have lost the goals of Rhys Oates and Luke Armstrong. Harrogate are set to improve but promotion may be out of their reach.

Bradford, on the other hand, appear genuine contenders and the summer recruitment of Adams, who is an expert at picking up positive results at whatever cost, looks promising.

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