Jimmy's Punt 25/26: Staked 210.25pts | Returned 208.04pts | P/L -2.21pts | ROI -1%
Football betting tips: EFL
Preston vs Stoke (Friday - 20:00)
3pts Under 2.5 goals at 4/5 (General)
0.5pts No first goalscorer at 9/1 (Sky Bet)
Anytime goalscorer Trixie (Saturday - 15:00)
1pt (Total Stake) David McGoldrick, Cauley Woodrow & Kyrell Lisbie anytime Trixie at 40/1 (Sky Bet)
I usually write this column on a Wednesday afternoon. Get all the bets locked and loaded then sleep on them.
I like to mull them over because a pick might look great initially but by the morning, you’re wondering who in their right mind would take on team X to beat team Y away from home when team Y hasn’t lost on their own patch in ages.
An unfortunate setback of this system are the casualties and we’ve had two this week.
Usually, 1x2 prices don’t move too much from Wednesday to Thursday in the EFL, it’s usually as soon as they become available or within 24 hours of kick-off, but I had two bets ready to go and when I got up on Thursday they were gone.
Harrogate were going to get touted at 5/1 at Oldham, they’ve shortened to by a point. I was also considering Reading at 7/2 for their trip to Stevenage. As I write the Royals are generally 3/1, best price 16/5.
That put me in a finicky mood but it does feel like one of those weekends.
Wigan's Joe Taylor was on the anytime goalscorer radar until he hobbled off at Oakwell in midweek, we’re still waiting for an update. Kieffer Moore, the man whose poor touch cost Sheffield United promotion to the Premier League in last season’s play-off final, was an obvious shout for a goal on his return to Bramall Lane. The Wrexham striker is out for month.
I did eventually settle on some angles...
Preston vs Stoke
- Kick-off: Friday, 20:00 GMT
- TV: Sky Sports Football
- Live odds, form and stats
Doesn’t this just stink of a 0-0? I was expecting NO FIRST GOALSCORER to be priced a touch shorter than 9/1, some firms have gone 6s to be fair. By the same token UNDER 2.5 GOALS appeals at 4/5 generally.
Preston North End are in absolute freefall.
Since being knocked out of the FA Cup third round by League One strugglers Wigan, when they were fourth in the table with 43 points (W11 D10 L5) and only three points behind Middlesbrough, they’ve won one of 12 Championship games.
Only Sheffield Wednesday have taken fewer than North End's nine points (W1 D3 L8) in that time as they’ve sunk to 17th, just nine points above the drop zone.
Across those 12 games Paul Heckingbottom’s side have failed to score in eight and seven have seen two goals or fewer.
Their opponents Stoke are also low margin.
Only the top three have conceded fewer goals than the Potters and they’ve failed to score in three of their last four away league games.
All told on the road, 14 of Stoke’s 19 away trips have seen unders click so I’ll be taking on goals by backing both unders and no first goalscorer.
Interestingly but somewhat unsurprisingly, the reverse ended goalless.
Coincidentally, that was also a Friday night clash and for those interested three of Preston’s last four games in this slot have seen one goal or fewer scored.
Anytime Goalscorer Trixie
- Barnsley vs Doncaster: David McGoldrick at 7/4 (Saturday, 15:00)
- Leyton Orient vs Wycombe: Cauley Woodrow at 11/4 (Saturday, 15:00)
- Wimbledon vs Peterborough: Kyrell Lisbie at 3/1 (Saturday, 15:00)
Barnsley striker DAVID MCGOLDRICK makes up the first leg of the ANYTIME GOALSCORER TRIXIE.
The EFL veteran has 14 League One goals this term, 12 of which have come since Davis Keillor-Dunn left in January.
A career goals per 90 average of 0.38 makes quotes of 7/4 marginal value but given his recent form (0.60 goals per 90 across last two seasons) and the opposition's defensive issues, I’d have this a touch shorter.
Doncaster have conceded 59 times this season (joint-third most in League One) and have only kept one clean sheet in their last seven.
A reminder that David McGoldrick turns 39 in November… 😅
— 72cast (@weare72cast) February 22, 2026
They don’t make ‘em like this anymore. 👑
(Credit - @itvfootball) #BarnsleyFC #Notts #DCFC #TwitterBlades #ITFC #EFL pic.twitter.com/5KFGvd53yM
Brisbane Road is the next stop where Wycombe's CAULEY WOODROW is worth a punt at 11/4.
A career which promised so much has been blighted by injury but he still has a goals per 90 average of 0.34. That makes his goalscorer price value.
He struggled initially for the Chairboys but is beginning to get amongst the goals. Woodrow’s netted two in his last two, five in his last 10 and will fancy his chances against Leyton Orient - the division's second worst defence.
Final stop is southwest London where Wimbledon host Peterborough and although I couldn’t back Posh at 5/2 to win the game, I fancy them to be amongst the goals.
The visitors scored five times in midweek meaning they’ve netted in each of their last five.
KYRELL LISBIE is Peterborough's second top goalscorer with 11 and has a goals per 90 average of 0.43 which makes his 3/1 price worth a poke here.
Odds correct at 10:10 GMT (19/03/26)
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