Playing Away: Cardiff, Leeds and Birmingham

Just two games in and the Championship season has shown it will be as entertaining and unpredictable as ever. But even if chaos reigns once again in Saturday’s Championship kick-offs, three sides look capable of ensuring there is at least a semblance of order. Cardiff City, Leeds United and Birmingham City, who will all be looking to be there or thereabouts come May, look capable of picking up three points on the road this afternoon.

Backing them all to win in a playing away treble secures odds of 61/5. Put more simply, new customers who sign up for a bwin account and receive their £20 free bet would see a return of £264 should they successfully back the treble. Here’s why you should consider parting with your money:

Cardiff to beat Bristol City @ 13/10

A 0-0 draw away at Brighton in midweek made it four points from six for Malky Mackay’s Bluebirds and a second successive clean sheet. This afternoon they travel to Ashton Gate to face a Bristol City side who secured an emphatic 4-1 victory at home to Crystal Palace on Wednesday evening.

Mackay has moved to further boost his options this week with the arrival of QPR duo Matthew Connolly and Tommy Smith, both of whom featured regularly for the Hoops as they gained promotion to the Premier League the season before last, and in Smith have added a player with a wealth of Championship experience.

With an attack of Smith, Heidar Helguson and Craig Bellamy at his disposal, Mackay has more than enough quality up top to score goals wherever Cardiff play this season. Judging by the first two games of the new season, they look to have a solid defence as well, giving them the perfect combination for success.

Cardiff have had a knack of beating the Robins in recent years, doing the double over Derek McInnes’ side last season – which included a 2-1 victory away from home back in March – and securing maximum points in five of the last six league meetings between the two sides. They should therefore have just enough quality to edge this encounter.

Leeds United to beat Peterborough @ 5/4

It’s been a disappointing start to the season for Darren Ferguson and his Posh side as their 2-1 defeat at home to Millwall earlier this week followed a 2-0 reverse against Leicester at the King Power Stadium in their opening fixture, leaving them without a point from their first two games.

They welcome a Leeds side who collected six points off them last term and Posh won’t need reminding of the Whites’ last minute winner at London Road last November. In fact, Neil Warnock’s side go in search of their fourth successive league victory over their opponents this afternoon.

Warnock will be disappointed his players were unable to hang onto their one goal lead up at Blackpool in midweek as they left Bloomfield Road on the wrong end of a 2-1 scoreline, which came after an opening day victory at home to Wolves last Saturday courtesy of an early Luciano Becchio strike.

While still far too early to begin panicking, Peterborough are without a league win from their last eight games, made up of three draws and five defeats, and it’s no surprise the Whites have been priced as favourites for this clash as Warnock goes in search of his second promotion in three seasons.

Birmingham to beat Watford @ 31/20

Lee Clark’s reign as Birmingham boss to date hasn’t gone quite as well as the former Huddersfield man will have hoped, with his side managing to pick up just one point from his first two games at the helm against newly promoted sides Charlton and Sheffield Wednesday.

After playing out a 1-1 draw at home to the Addicks last weekend, the Midlands club left Hillsborough empty handed in midweek ahead of their trip to Watford this afternoon. The Hornets, for their part, were dealt a sucker punch in their home match against Ipswich on Wednesday thanks to a last minute Michael Chopra winner for the Tractor Boys.

Birmingham have enjoyed a pretty good record against the Hornets in previous meetings, collecting four points against the Hertfordshire side last term, while winning five and drawing two of the last seven matches between the two sides.

This match certainly hasn’t been shy of entertainment in recent times with five of the last six matches involving at least three or more goals, and Clark may include a place in the staring line-up for former Valencia frontman Nicola Zigic, who has come off the bench in his last two matches to find the net. This could tilt the tie in favour of the Blues and help us land a playing away treble which pays out at over 12/1.

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