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Expert EFL predictions and free football tips from Dan Childs

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Saturday's EFL matches.

When to bet

Kick-offs 3pm

Best bets

Rotherham draw no bet
3pts 11-10 bet365, BoyleSports, Hills

Shrewsbury draw no bet
1pt 13-10 Coral, Hills, Ladbrokes

Swindon
1pt 13-8 Betfair, Hills, Power

Carlisle or draw double chance
1pt 21-20 BoyleSports

Dan Childs's EFL predictions

Peterborough vs Rotherham

Only two League One matches are taking place this weekend but there is an attractive betting opportunity at the Weston Homes Stadium where Rotherham appear overpriced to defeat mid-table hosts Peterborough.

The shortage of third-tier fixtures offers an incentive for both teams with 14th-placed Peterborough needing a victory to move into the playoff spots and 17th-placed Rotherham requiring a win to jump at least eight places.

Both expect to be higher but Rotherham approach the weekend with rising confidence after three successive wins across all competitions.

The Millers moved away from the relegation zone with back-to-back wins away to Cambridge (1-0) and at home to Reading (2-1) but they have further ground to make up as they continue the process of atoning for a slow start to the campaign.

Relegation from the Championship was a painful experience for Rotherham and the hangover has lingered.

Steve Evans' side won just one of their opening eight League One fixtures but they have rediscovered the winning knack and head to Peterborough at an opportune moment.

The Posh have lost two of their last three league games and last Saturday's fortunate 2-1 at home to Stevenage came at a cost with key midfielder Archie Collins collecting his fifth yellow card of the campaign.

Collins serves a one-match ban and his absence plays into the hands of Rotherham, who can register their fourth successive victory.

Crawley vs Shrewsbury

Saturday's other League One contest takes place at the Broadfield Stadium in West Sussex where Shrewsbury appeal as a solid draw-no-bet wager against fellow strugglers Crawley.

Newly-promoted Crawley kicked of the season with successive victories, but they have taken only one point from their last seven games and are inside the relegation zone.

The Red Devils are on a run of four successive league defeats and three of those came after they lost their former manager, Scott Lindsey, to League Two heavyweights MK Dons.

Lindsey's replacement, Rob Elliot, took charge for the first time in last Saturday's 1-0 loss at Wycombe, and was far from disheartened by his team's performance.

However, Elliot's side rarely threatened their Buckinghamshire hosts and their tally of five league goals stands out as the lowest in the division.

Third-bottom Shrewsbury have scored only eight league goals this season but they put in a decent performance in last weekend's 2-2 draw at Bolton.

The Shrews squandered a two-goal half-time lead against the in-form Trotters, but they face an easier task against Crawley and can register their first away win of the campaign.

Cheltenham vs Swindon

Swindon are fourth-from-bottom in League Two after winning one of their first ten games but they can kickstart their campaign by defeating Cheltenham.

Frustrated Swindon fans made their feelings known after their team drew 0-0 at home to Harrogate last Saturday, but there was a positive midweek response from Mark Kennedy's side, who won 4-0 at home to League One Bristol Rovers in the EFL Trophy.

League progress is Kennedy's priority but his players should feel more confident and they can triumph over fifth-bottom Cheltenham, who have lost six of ten fourth-tier fixtures.

AFC Wimbledon vs Carlisle

Third-bottom Carlisle are showing positive signs under their new manager, Mike Williamson, and they can avoid defeat against AFC Wimbledon in the capital.

The Cumbrians drew 0-0 at Colchester last Saturday and can extract at least a point from the mid-table Wombles, who have failed to score in their last two League Two fixtures.

Accumulator

Rotherham 15-8, Swindon 13-8, Doncaster 4-5, Gillingham 4-5
£1 acca returns £24.45 with Hills

First goalscorer

Jordan Gibson Doncaster vs Crewe
at 15-2 Coral, Ladbrokes

Gibson was Doncaster's two-goal hero in last Saturday's 3-0 success at Grimsby and he can bag the opener at home to Crewe.


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