Two clubs who made contrasting starts to their Championship campaigns last weekend meet at the Racecourse Ground on Saturday lunchtime, as newly-promoted Wrexham hosts West Brom.
After earning promotion to the second tier of English football for the first time in 43 years last season, it looked as if Wrexham were going to make a winning start to their campaign as they led 0-1 at recently-relegated Southampton at St Mary’s.
However, Phil Parkinson’s side quickly learned just how cruel the Championship can be, as goals in the 90th and 96th minute from defenders Ryan Manning and Jack Stephens saw the Welsh side suffer an agonising defeat on an afternoon where our man The Betting Desk landed a full-house of winners.
Ryan Mason made a winning start to his first permanent role in the manager’s dugout, as West Brom defeated Blackburn Rovers by a single goal to nil.
Northern Irish international Isaac Price got the only goal of the game after 15 minutes, and despite finishing the game with a man less, The Baggies secured all three points, in a game where our man, The Betting Desk, landed another trio of winners.
How the bookies view it: Tough one to call
The bookies are finding it hard to separate these two sides, with Wrexham priced at 17/10 to claim their first win in the second tier since 1982.
West Brom are slightly shorter at 6/4 with the same firm, whilst the draw is 21/10.
Head to head: Rare meeting between the pair
Saturday will be the first time these two clubs have faced each other in the EFL, with West Brom largely operating in the top two divisions and Wrexham in the third tier or below.
Wrexham defeated The Baggies 1-0 in the FA Cup way back in 1930, whilst West Brom beat The Red Dragons in the Watney Cup in 1971 in their only two previous meetings.
Players to watch: Price on the money
Isaac Price has made an impressive start to the campaign, as he set up Aune Heggebo’s goal in their midweek Carabao cup exit to Derby. The Northern Irishman also scored the only goal of the game against Blackburn last week, and looks overpriced at BoyleSports (9/2) to score again.
Josh Windass had a good personal campaign last season, as he netted 13 goals in the Championship for The Owls. The ex-Rangers man also opened his Wrexham account from the spot in their defeat at Southampton last weekend, and appeals at 11/4 at BoyleSports to net for a second consecutive week.
Predicted line-ups:
Kieffer Moore went off injured on his Wrexham debut at St Mary’s last weekend and is a major doubt here, with Sam Smith being his likely replacement up top.
The Baggies will be without full-back Darnell Furlong following his red card against Blackburn last weekend, whilst Daryl Dike and Tammer Bany are also missing through injury.
Wrexham: Ward, Cleworth, Coady, Brunt, Barnett, Dobson, James, O’Brien, Cacace, Windsss, Smith
West Bromwich Albion: Wildsmith, Williams, Phillips, Heggem, Styles, Molumby, Mowatt, Fellows, Price, Grant, Heggebo
Anything else catch the eye?
West Brom’s away form was effectively what cost them a playoff place last season, as The Baggies won just four times on the road all season, with none of those victories arriving in any of their final 15 road trips of the season.
Despite defeat last week, Wrexham played well against The Saints, and given they won 16 and lost just two of their League One clashes at the Racecourse last season (W16-D5-L2), I’m happy to back The Red Dragons to edge this one.
Both Teams to Score banked in an impressive 16/23 (70%) of West Brom’s away matches in the Championship last season, and a repeat here also appeals at 4/5 at BoyleSports.
GambleAware