The best bets in the football pyramid

The experts at Betting@Betfair have specialists on every league down to the Blue Square Premier. Here are their predictions on this weekend's non-Premier League action...

Championship
While much of the attention at the top of the Championship has focussed on the likes of Newcastle and West Brom, over in West London things are quietly falling into place for QPR. Ever since they acquired some wealthy backers, the Hoops have been tipped for a rise to the Premier League but it's only recently they have started to show form to match.

Four wins in their last six games and a whopping 16 goals in that period have lifted Rangers to fourth in the table. They have won their last two away games, and they should make that three when they travel to Doncaster. Rovers have won just once in their last 11 outings and that was against fellow strugglers Peterborough. At 2.42, back Rangers to win this one.

League One
Huddersfield v Hartlepool isn't quite the pushover the market suggests. Hartlepool are too big at 6.20 considering they are more than capable away from home. Manager Chris Turner has always maintained the seven signings over the summer would take time to gel, and by November - we really ought to see the fruits of that labour.

Goals have been problematic at home, but the back four are fairly reliable in the favoured 4-4-2. Pool are capable of clean sheets, so Saturday will be a good test against the in-form team of the division - but the home side are too short, the away side are too big. Back Hartlepool at 6.20 and under 2.5 goals at 2.30

League Two
Injuries mean one should be wary of Lincoln's short price of 2.08 to beat bottom club Grimsby. On the one hand, the doom-sayers might point to the Imps having 11 absentees this weekend, but then half of those have not played in weeks. Perhaps that is why Chris Sutton's men have been doing so badly. However, the price should have layers feathering their nests. A game as dour as Grimsby's 0-0 snore at Northampton Town is surely in prospect and the managerless Mariners can hope to take a point. Back under 2.5 goals at 1.8. Lay Lincoln at home to Grimsby at 2.1.

Non-League
The weekend's bankers are Hayes & Yeading to continue their terrific form against Crawley at the princely odds of 2.6 or greater. Three wins in a row, against Tamworth, Cambridge and Wrexham is no fluke and Garry Haylock has rediscovered the genius that helped him get them promoted last season against the odds. It's all in the tactics. Hit 'em early and then sit and soak and catch them on the break. Clean sheets in all three suggests that the soak aspect of the plan is particularly well orchestrated!

Published: 20 Nov 2009 - Tags: League One, League Two, QPR, The Championship