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The televised tie on Saturday lunchtime comes from League Two as Notts County host Bradford at Meadow Lane. This game kicks off at 12:30pm and is live on Sky Sports Football in the UK.
Notts County
Notts County, who were promoted from the National League last season, were one of the pre-season favourites for promotion this year, and Luke Williams’ side have been challenging for a top three spot for the majority of the campaign. Nevertheless, three defeats in five, including two consecutive losses, has seen them drop away from the top spots.
Match has ended
Williams will see this match as an ideal opportunity to bounce back and pick up three points against inconsistent opposition.
County always attract a decent crowd at Meadow Lane and their home form has been strong. Their only two defeats here have come against fellow promotions rivals Mansfield (also televised) and Wrexham.
Notts County have been helped by the goals of Macaulay Langstaff, who has made the step up to L2 level seamlessly. He’s contributed to 33% of the club’s goals this season, finding the net on 11 occasions. Jodi Jones also deserves a mention for his league-leading eight assists in League Two.
October’s 2-0 defeat was the first time that a Notts County home match featured fewer than three goals. It was also the first time that they have failed to score in front of their own fans.
Against Mansfield on TV during the previous international break, they were undone by set-pieces and they will be looking to tighten up on Saturday lunchtime.
Bradford
Bradford have recently changed manager with Graham Alexander taking over at Valley Parade. There is always ample expectation surrounding the club, with their sizeable fanbase expecting the Bantams to be challenging for promotion this season, and it remains to be seen whether the former full back can deliver.
‘Grezza’, who was sacked by MK Dons last month has returned to the dugout fairly quickly, although he is hardly a name to get the fans excited. His recent record is questionable, although there’s no denying that he knows this level of the game.
He has a tough job on his hands with the Bradford squad looking a little thin and with the club having lost three consecutive matches. With five defeats in eight, the new man must turn things around fairly quickly in order to ensure that the season doesn’t fade away.
On the road, they’ve picked up maximum points on just two occasions so far. The Bantams were victorious at Plough Lane against an AFC Wimbledon side who have struggled in front of their own fans this season and against Newport, who are bottom third dwellers.
On a positive note, they have scored in each of their last five away games although they’ve also conceded eight times across their last four away outings.
Head to Head
This is the first meeting between these clubs since 2015. Their last meeting here finished 1-1 with Jon Stead netting for the visitors. Only one of the last four meetings between these sides has featured more than a single goal.
Across all competitions, Notts County have won three of the last five meetings at Meadow Lane, although those results have come across a six year period (2009-2015).
Key Betting Stats
- Only Swindon matches (3.94) have averaged more goals than Notts County matches (3.65) this season
- Notts County home matches have averaged 4.13 goals per game this season
- Bradford away games have averaged just 2.56 goals per game this season
- Only five L2 sides have won fewer away matches than Bradford this season and only five teams have scored fewer goals on their travels.
- Kevin McDonald, who recently enjoyed a stint as caretaker manager, has registered three assists so far this season.
- Notts County have scored 27% of their goals between the 61st and 70th minute
Match Prediction
Bradford’s form will undoubtedly pick up under Graham Alexander, but this is a tough fixture. Notts County need to bounce back from their recent rut, but this is easier than those recent assignements.
Winning Combo
Notts County to Win, BTTS and Macaulay Langstaff to Score Anytime
Odds – 5/2 with Bet365
Best Bookmaker
We recommend using Bet365 to bet on this weekend’s matches. Their Bet Builder allows you to combine multiple selections into one single bet. You can also take advantage of Bet Boosts each and every day.
