Luton v Doncaster
Saturday 23rd March 1500hrs
Football – England – League One
Pick Luton
Bookmaker Bet Victor
Odds: 17/20 (odds taken 23.45 GMT, Friday 22nd March)
It may be international week but the lower league action continues in England and the game of the day sees top of the table Luton take on Doncaster who are narrowly ahead of a chasing pack in the race for the fourth and final playoff place.
League One Betting at Bet Victor
Luton Preview
It’s been a terrific season for Luton so far and the end is in sight as they attempt to return to the second tier of English football for the first time since 2007. There has been plenty of disappointments since that time, even relegation to the Conference, which makes this season all that more remarkable and one that all associated with the club will be looking to finish off with automatic promotion. Mick Harford was put in caretaker charge following Nathan Jones’ departure to Stoke earlier in the season. It was at that point that many expected Luton to fall away and begin dropping down the table. Considering it was Jones who led Luton back to League One last season – and the club only attempting to establish themselves at this level – that would not have been a huge surprise and perfectly understandable, but it’s credit to Harford and the players that they have maintained their form and position at the top of the table. You have to go all the way back to October for their last league defeat (3-2 away to now second placed Barnsley) which is incredible consistency in what is such a competitive division. There have been a few draws of late but Luton still have a seven point cushion in the automatic promotion spots with eight games left to play.
Key-Facts – Luton v Doncaster
- Luton are on course for back-to-back promotions and have a five point lead at the top
- Doncaster still cling on to a playoff spot but they are winless in their last six and not won on the road in seven matches
- Luton are undefeated at home in the league and are the highest scorers at home, too
Doncaster Preview
Doncaster Rovers have trailed a similar path to Saturday’s opponents having recently competed in the Conference and Championship, and sense of yo-yoing between the divisions. Rovers earned promotion back up to League One two seasons ago and failed to really make a mark as they finished in the bottom half of the table. It’s been a different story this campaign, however, as Grant McCann’s men have been in and around the top six for much of the season. Only lately, though, they are beginning to falter and with no wins in their last six games, hold just a single point lead over the teams closing in behind them in the race for the playoffs. That poor run of form has put paid to any faint hopes they had of automatic promotion and McCann will be hoping it concentrates his players mind for what is going to be a very highly pressured run-in – starting with this visit to top of the table Luton. There are plenty of crunch games ahead, including a clash with Sunderland, with the final game of the season at home to Coventry, who currently sit one point below them. It’s sure to be a situation that goes right to the wire.
Luton v Doncaster Betting Advice
It’s very much the business end of the season now and these two teams head into Saturday’s encounter at Kenilworth Road. Luton have to continue setting the pace and would love to take the three points in this one having drawn three of their last five, especially as Barnsley and Sunderland are picking up wins on a regular basis. For Doncaster, they are one their longest winless run in the league this season and it’s coming at just the wrong time. On a slight positive, they’re not losing many games (just two defeats in 10, but solitary points are just as harmless as losses when the teams below them are winning games.
Luton have still yet to taste defeat at home in the league this season which is another excellent record they will be looking to protect. Doncaster have the joint lowest number of away wins in the top 10 and have not won in their seven on the road. It’s a tough ask for the visitors and one that you feel may well be beyond them in their current form and Luton still having plenty of threat – particularly at home.
