The League Two play-off final is set for Monday but will it be AFC Wimbledon or Walsall celebrating promotion come the final whistle at Wembley?
The last spot in the League Two promotion race is about to be decided with fifth-placed AFC Wimbledon taking on fourth-placed Walsall in Monday’s play-off final at Wembley.
Walsall were disappointed to miss out on a top-three finish but they found some form in the play-off semi-finals, defeating Chesterfield 4-1 on aggregate.
However, the Saddlers face a stiff test against a defensively sound AFC Wimbledon, who kept 21 clean sheets in the league campaign before registering a pair of 1-0 wins in their semi-final matches against Notts County.
The contest is the vehicle for Monday’s bet builder which, if successful, returns odds of around 15/2 in the football odds.
League Two Play-Off Final Tips
AFC Wimbledon to be promoted 4/5
Matty Stevens anytime scorer 9/4
Under 2.5 goals 19/40
Wombles can secure Wembley win
AFC Wimbledon have succeeded in each of their last three play-off campaigns and they can get the better of Walsall on Monday.
Since their formation in May 2002, Wimbledon have won six promotions and three of them have been via the play-off route.
The most recent was in 2015-16 when Neal Ardley led them to League Two play-off success.
The Londoners were relegated from League One in 2022 but have been a progressive fourth-tier club under Johnnie Jackson, who has steered them to league finishes of 21st, 10th and fifth over his three-season spell in charge.
Jackson has built a resilient bunch and must’ve been proud of his players’ efforts in the play-off semi-final against Notts County.
A seemingly tricky tie was dealt with in a professional manner with a hard-fought 1-0 success at Meadow Lane preceding a more straightforward 1-0 win in south London.
Wimbledon were calm under pressure against the Magpies and their composure should stand them in good stead against Walsall, who have won three matches in succession for the first time since January.
Walsall performed well against semi-final opponents Chesterfield, winning 2-0 in Derbyshire and 2-1 in the West Midlands, but they may still be carrying some mental baggage from the league campaign which promised so much and ended with just one win from the final 15 matches.
The Saddlers relied a lot on Stoke loanee Nathan Lowe in the opening half of the season, but they have lacked an offensive spark in recent months and could be nullified at the national stadium.
Leg 1: AFC Wimbledon to be promoted 4/5
Stevens could sink the Saddlers
Matty Stevens is on a 10-game scoring drought but he is Wimbledon’s main goal threat and can deliver a match-winning moment to send the Londoners back to League One.
The 27-year-old has netted 17 league goals, placing him joint-third on the division’s scoring charts.
He poses a major threat from set-pieces and open play and has every chance of stinging the Saddlers, who have the worst defensive record (54 goals conceded) among League Two’s top six.
Leg 2: Matty Stevens anytime scorer 9/4
Tight affair may be short of chances
Wimbledon play a risk-averse style of football and they won’t mind if the play-off final boils down to a game of fine margins.
The Wombles have posted four 1-0 wins among their last eight matches which have all generated fewer than three goals.
Leg 3: Under 2.5 goals 19/40
