Home Heroes: Birmingham, Ipswich and Millwall set for maximum points
After successfully finding a winning treble last week at the first attempt, Lee Calver is cautiously optimistic about his latest three selections providing a repeat success.
Last week, the three Championship sides I identified in my first Home Heroes column won with consummate ease, meaning that for once, there was very little doubt that we were going to be in the money. With Blackpool and Brighton recording 6-0 and 5-1 victories respectively, the only worry was Middlesbrough, but despite conceding late on, the Boro boys still ran out 2-1 victors to give me a lovely 5/1 winner.
I would like to say I am confident of finding another winning treble but looking at the latest round of fixtures, I cannot see it being as easy this time. We all know that the Championship is a notoriously difficult league to predict, which makes it tough for us punters to cash in, but this week’s line-up looks especially tricky to call.
Nonetheless, I will endeavour to deliver another successful trio for bwinners across the land and I’m looking at Millwall, Ipswich and Birmingham to oblige at combined odds of nearly 13/2.
New customers who sign up for a bwin account can claim a free £20 bet and using this on my treble will result in winnings of £149 if the picks prove successful.
| Primera Division | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mallorca | 1-1 | Betis Sevilla | £130.00 | (11/2) |
| Mallorca | 1-2 | Betis Sevilla | £175.00 | (31/4) |
| Mallorca | 2-1 | Betis Sevilla | £180.00 | (8/1) |
| Mallorca win | £52.00 | (8/5) | ||
| Draw | £70.00 | (5/2) | ||
| Betis Sevilla win | £50.00 | (6/4) | ||
Millwall to beat Middlesbrough @ 27/20
Even though Boro did the business for us last weekend, I am turning my back on Tony Mowbray’s men (and our Playing Away columnist Ryan Forrester) and punting for Millwall to come out on top at the Den in the early kick-off on Saturday afternoon. I personally am not a huge fan of having an early kick-off on my coupon (in case the first one goes down and I need to place another bet!) but I am plumping for Kenny Jackett’s men to pick up three points in front of their own fans.
After losing to Blackpool in their season opener at home, the east London side will be keen to bounce back and prove to their loyal fans that they are up for the fight this campaign. The Millwall faithful do not take kindly to losing at all, but they will be particularly disappointed to lose two in a row on their own patch, so I am hoping the crowd factor will play a part and roar the Lions on to a victory. Middlesbrough have lost their only away league fixture thus far against a poor Barnsley side, so Millwall will fancy their chances and at 27/20, this could be a superb start to the Home Heroes treble.
Ipswich to beat Huddersfield @ 21/20
After being thumped 6-0 by early-season pace-setters Blackpool last weekend and losing in extra-time to League One Carlisle United in the Capital One Cup on Tuesday night, I am starting to question why I have elected to choose Ipswich here.
But I will stick to my guns and hope the Suffolk side can respond to recent disappointments with a big performance. Prior to the Blackpool defeat, Paul Jewell’s men had started in promising fashion and three points on Saturday will help get their season back on track.
A credible draw against free-spending Blackburn Rovers was backed up with a hard-fought win at Gianfranco Zola’s new-look Watford and I am positive the mini-blip will be overturned with success over the Terriers. Huddersfield, with Simon Grayson at the helm, will have distant dreams of reaching the playoffs this year following promotion from League One, but having sold goal machine Jordan Rhodes to Championship rivals Blackburn for a massive £8 million, it now looks a forlorn hope. Without their star man, expect Huddersfield to be deflated for the trek to Portman Road and Ipswich can capitalise on their despondency.
Birmingham to beat Peterborough @11/20
Peterborough have started this season in dreadful form and if Birmingham have any prospects of a return to the Premier League then they must dispatch of teams like Posh, especially at St Andrews.
Darren Ferguson’s men are without a point from their first three league ties and I fully expect it to remain that way come the end of the weekend. Although Lee Clark has not had the greatest start to his career at the helm of the Blues, he will be looking at this fixture as the one that will get their campaign going.
Having lost in the playoff semi-final last year, Birmingham fans and players alike will be looking at the playoffs as a minimum expectation for the forthcoming season and after only losing once at St Andrews last season, I cannot see Peterborough being able to win away from home playing in the manner they currently are.
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