Football can be a strange old game sometimes, and there is often no explanation for the events that unfold in any given gameweek.
That’s why many punters like to use statistics from a large data set to help them place their bets with confidence. Stats for a whole host of things pertaining to a particular team’s strengths and weaknesses are readily available all over the web, and one item of data that gets plenty of attention is goal times.
There is no real logic to it perhaps, but some teams have a penchant for starting like a train and scoring early, some teams are slow out of blocks and often find themselves a goal down, while other teams finish well – perhaps due to exceptional fitness levels.
We can debate the reasons for these themes until the cows come home, but often it is simply best just to take the information and use it to your advantage.
Here are some interesting goal-related stats for the Football League so far this 2015/16 campaign and some relevant bets this weekend; hopefully it might help us to strike gold!
Premier League
Watford have conceded 12 goals in the second half of matches this season, and only two in the first half.
Watford to be leading Aston Villa after 60 minutes this Saturday is backable at 21/10.
Crystal Palace have conceded just three goals in the first half all season; and ten goals in the second half.
We can back the second half to be the highest scoring at 21/20.
Leicester City have scored eight first half goals this term; and 20 in the second half.
We can back Leicester to score last at 5/4.
Championship
Charlton contribute just 12 goals in the first half of matches; compared to 29 in the second period.
Back the second half of their fixture with Ipswich to contain more goals at 21/20.
QPR contribute just 17 goals in the first half of matches; compared to 30 in the second period.
Again, let’s back the second half of their contest with Leeds to contain more goals at 21/20.
Rotherham have conceded 18 first half goals this season.
This week they host Bristol City; back the Bristolians to score before the 51st minute at 5/6.
League One
Chesterfield & Peterborough score/concede double the amount of goals in the second half as the first.
Chesterfield entertain Swindon this weekend and we can get Evens that the second half will contain more goals than the first. Do likewise with Peterborough.
In the 76-90th minute bracket, Gillingham have scored eleven and conceded two this season.
This week Gillingham travel to Shrewsbury, and you can back them to score last at Evens.
League Two
Bristol Rovers have scored 17 second half goals this season; compared to six in the first period.
You can secure odds of 21/20 that their game with Exeter on Saturday contains more second half goals.
Stevenage have conceded 25 second half goals; Morecambe have scored 19 second half goals.
Handily these two meet tomorrow: we can back Morecambe as the team to score last at 21/20.
Notts County have scored/conceded 20 of their combined 53 goals this season in the 76-90th minute bracket.
We can back Notts County to score in the second half of their game against Cambridge from 7/10.