The international break probably came at a good time for Stevenage. It allowed them to take a breather from league action following a run of four without victory in that competition.

Although they’ve gone off the boil recently they are ultimately still a team that are good at what they do, and no opponent tends to enjoy facing them. They still possess the third-strongest xGA in League One and that has to count for something.

Leyton Orient have suffered just one loss across their previous five in all competitions, so the international break probably came at a bad time for them. They may potentially lose the momentum that has been created of late, plus they are on a three-game losing streak in away league action.

The fact they’ve been away to the likes of bottom side Shrewsbury and 16th placed Northampton and lost ‘to nil’ is quite telling. They just don’t excel in the stereotypical ugly contests such as this.

Stevenage have had a tough run of games of late, facing the likes of Reading, Bolton and Peterborough. However, they’ve defeated Wrexham and Barnsley at home this season without conceding, so they are capable of beating anyone on their day.

Orient like to play a possession-based game and tactically they won’t mind sitting off despite being at home. Frustrations in the away side could easily quickly boil, setting it up nicely for the hosts.

If there is one League One match that really should produce goals this weekend, then Peterborough v Reading jumps right off the page. The Posh top the division in relation to games featuring the most goals; theirs averaging 3.87. Reading aren’t a million miles behind either, as their league battles are averaging 3.07. Those figures upholding on Saturday would merely be enough for this to be a winning selection.

Only top-of-the-table Wycombe have fired in more goals in this division compared to Darren Ferguson’s United. The case for goals is naturally present for that reason alone.

Over their past seven in all competitions alone the team are averaging 3.29 goals scored per fixture. However, this is a side that is remarkably without one single league clean sheet all season.

Reading have a superb home record this season, meaning there is a vulnerability to them when on the road. This has to be the case considering they’re only 10th. Only Wrexham have more points in home clashes, yet The Royals are ranked 20th based on away numbers.

Reading’s away league encounters still average 3.57 goals and they themselves have at least scored in seven of their nine away matches in all competitions. Side with goals here.

Heading into this weekend, three of the four promoted clubs out of League Two last season sit inside the top seven in League One. Mansfield are one of those and could potentially go into their next league game sitting in fourth with a victory here.

Although still a newly-promoted unit, they know they cannot take any opponent lightly, but Bristol Rovers are an outfit they should be beating on all known recent form.

The Stags may have been the latest side to lose away to Wrexham but they’ll take heart from winning the xG battle on the day, proving they deserved more. This was only a third league loss of the season for Town out of 13.

Rovers are just inside the bottom half at the moment and it is a sheer lack of consistency that they aren’t able to climb much higher. They also possess the second-worst xGA in the league, with only bottom side Shrewsbury managing worse. Matt Taylor’s side have also claimed one out of a possible seven away league clean sheets in 2024/25.

That is especially unfortunate facing an opponent this weekend with just one home league defeat all campaign, plus they’ve scored in all bar one of those, too. Mansfield have taken points against the likes of Birmingham and Stockport at Field Mill. Perhaps most tellingly of all, Saturday’s away side have a 100% losing record this season facing top-half clubs.

Accrington’s recent good form continued at AFC Wimbledon on Tuesday evening where they were seconds from another away scalp only for James Tilley’s 97th-minute equaliser. The 2-2 draw takes Accrington to six matches unbeaten in all competitions – during that run, as well as AFC Wimbledon, they’ve also taken points off of promotion hopefuls Walsall and Chesterfield.

Accrington are priced appealingly to score a goal against Bradford. Accrington have scored in seven of their eight away matches in League Two this season with only Notts County able to shut them out.

They average 1.38 goals per away league game and have scored two goals at Rushall Olympic in the FA Cup, three at Chesterfield and two at AFC Wimbledon in their last three away games.

Saturday’s opponents Bradford have conceded a goal in five of seven home matches this season, their two clean sheets coming against Salford and AFC Wimbledon. They’ve conceded four goals in their last three home league matches, to Newport, Gillingham and Doncaster.

It’s seven games in all competitions without a clean sheet for Bradford and they are vulnerable to conceding at least once to Accrington.

Since Scott Lindsay took over the managerial reins at MK Dons their matches have been goals filled. MK Dons matches regularly see over 2.5 goals and both teams scoring. Those markets would be of interest here if not for a tendency for Fleetwood home matches to be low scoring.

Fleetwood’s home matches average just 1.58 goals per game and they’ve only conceded in three of seven home fixtures. But Morecambe, Crewe and Salford have scored away at Fleetwood and none of that trio have the attacking numbers that Scott Lindsay’s MK Dons do.

After failing to register a goal in their opening three away games, MK Dons have since scored 12 goals in the next four away League Two matches at an average of 3.0 goals per game. In October they put five past Harrogate and three past Morecambe and Grimsby.

MK’s last four fixtures have been in Milton Keynes but they should have no qualms about going back on their travels.

Salford and Bromley are two teams that struggle with chance creation. Bromley are ninth for total xG created in League Two this season whilst Salford are 23rd.

Bromley average 10.04 shots per 90 and Salford 9.96 shots per 90 with Bromley 16th (34.1%) and Salford 23rd (31.1%) for shot percentage on target.

These numbers have led to a lack of goals for both. Salford average scoring 0.94 goals per game, Bromley average scoring 1.13 goals per game. These numbers remain consistent when looking at home and away records. Salford average scoring 0.88 goals per home game. Bromley average scoring 0.86 per away game.

Added to the lack of goals for argument is a lack of goals against. Bromley average conceding just 0.86 per away game and Salford 1.29 goals conceded per home game.

Fourteen out of 16 Salford matches this season have seen under 3.5 goals including all eight home matches. Twelve of 15 Bromley matches this season have seen under 3.5 goals, including six of their seven away games.

Swindon v Morecambe is a crunch game at the bottom of League Two on Saturday afternoon. Morecambe are bottom of the table on 10 points but an away win would draw them level with Swindon on 13 points, who occupy the final spot above the relegation zone.

Neither side come into game with form or confidence. Combined they have won one, drawn two and lost seven of their last 10 matches. And although neither team are goal heavy, their xG numbers are better than their league placings – Swindon are 14th in the xG table, Morecambe 17th.

As for expected goals against, no team has a higher tally than Morecambe’s 28.01 xGA. Swindon have conceded 22.44xGA.

The numbers make both teams to score a good bet here. The selection has won in eight of 16 Morecambe matches which isn’t a bad tally when you consider that Morecambe failed to score in any of their first five league matches this season.

BTTS yes has also landed in 11 out of 16 of Swindon’s League Two matches this season.