Eng. Championship
2011-08-16 - Doncaster Rovers vs Nottingham Forest
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football : English Championship
Tuesday 16 August 2011 - Kickoff 7:45pm
Doncaster Rovers
Sean O'Driscoll has to be given credit for the way he gets his Doncaster Rovers team playing football, but there is a fear that their time in the Championship could be drawing to a close this season. Doncaster are one of the favourites to fall through the trapdoor and they have not had a good start.
The team lost their first home game of the season when falling to a 0-1 defeat to West Ham United on Saturday. That followed on from an opening day defeat at Brighton when Doncaster gave up a 0-1 lead and conceded the winner in the 98th minute.
Only Scunthorpe United won less home games in the Championship last season. Doncaster finished with a 7-9-7 home record, scoring 26 goals and conceding 31. That also meant Scunthorpe were the only side to score less home goals last season.
O'Driscoll has a tough time at the moment with plenty of his squad unavailable through injury. Ryan Mason, Brian Stock, Shelton Martis, Mark Wilson and James O'Connor are definitely out, while Billy Sharp and James Hayter are serious doubts.
Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest have been close to moving back up to the Premier League over the last couple of seasons, but then decided to remove Billy Davies from the manager position and replace him with ex-England manager Steve McClaren. However, things have not exactly been going to plan for McClaren in the opening exchanges of the Championship.
Forest have picked up just 1 point from their first 2 games of the season and have yet to score a goal. A 2-0 loss at Millwall on Saturday does not make for great reading, but the 0-0 home draw against Barnsley was more disappointing, especially considering the nature of the performance.
The Reds finished with a 7-7-9 record away from the City Ground last season, scoring just 26 goals in those games and conceding 28. The team had one of the best away defences in the Championship last season with only 3 teams conceding less goals, but scoring remains a problem.
Steve McClaren has tried to change his sides fortunes in front of goal by signing Ishmael Miller and Matt Derbyshire and both are in the squad for this game. Paul Anderson has been ruled out.
Head to Head
Nottingham Forest have won just 1 of their last 10 League games with Doncaster.
Doncaster are unbeaten in their last 5 games at home against Forest. This fixture ended in a 1-1 draw last season.
Interestingly goals have been a problem when these sides meet, and the last 5 games in Doncaster have seen 2 goals or less in the match.
Only 2 of the last 10 games between these teams have seen 3 or more goals scored.
Prediction
This game is hard to predict a winner as both teams have their problems that need rectifying at the moment, but I do think there is a clear trend that shows there will not be many goals scored.
Meetings between the two have not seen many goals scored, especially here in Doncaster, while neither has been pulling up trees in the League at this early stage.
The two signings Forest have made may give them the edge here and help them force their first win, but goals could be a problem for both teams and it may just take 1 to settle the win.
The Under 2.5 goals has been priced up reasonably and I will give that a go.
The Pick :
Doncaster Rovers 0-1 Nottingham Forest
FIXED ODDS BETTING TIP :
I'll back Under 2.5 Goals @ 1.72 (BetFred)
