GEORGE ELEK: Win-to-Nil Winter can continue with this 7/2 shot

Three in a row! That is, as you’ll all know, two fewer than Grimsby away wins but also the amount of winning tips from this column in the last three weeks.

Win To Nil Winter continued with Sheffield United dispensing with their neighbours Wednesday without conceding, and in doing so landing the 21/10 spoils. Let’s see if we can make it four in a row.

The international break is rarely popular with the average football fan, and it’s hard to make a huge case as to why you should tune into Exeter City v Lincoln City at 12:30 on Saturday afternoon. Michael Skubala is a good manager and Gary Caldwell is a good manager, but both of their strengths lie in building a resolute defensive side rather than a focus of free-flowing attacking football.

There is some added spice to this one though, with Exeter angry that the game hasn’t been postponed due to international call-ups thanks to a technicality. Kamari Doyle was a late call-up to the England U20 squad which means that, despite having the requisite three players on international duty, their request for the game to be pushed back was rejected.

Doyle, on loan from Brighton, has been a revelation for Exeter this season and will be a big miss. Ilmari Niskanen and Josh Magennis are also big players from the Grecians and would start most games when fit, so it’s easy to understand why the club are frustrated at having to play on Saturday when other League One teams who have three key players, or even fringe players, away are able to have a weekend off.

Despite missing three important attacking players, there seems little reason to oppose Exeter’s ability to defend their box well. They have won four times at home this season without conceding (is it cold in here?) and even in their two defeats they were narrowly beaten 2-1, with Reading maybe fortunate to find the back of the net twice. Peterborough are the only side to really take the game to Exeter at St. James Park and they are a relentless attacking side.

Lincoln are not that. They, like their opponents here, are building for success with a solid defensive foundation. It’s a surprise that they’ve only kept two clean sheets this season given that they have the 6th best xG per 90 figure in the league. That they’ve conceded 17 non-penalty goals from just 11 xG suggests that we can expect more of these to come relatively soon, and that their lofty position in the league table is no fluke.

Skubala oversaw a remarkable eight wins to nil in the second half of last season and it’s fair to assume that more will come this season given their good underlying numbers. With Exeter missing key attacking players, this could be a perfect storm in the midst of this profitable winter of win to nils.

Selection:

Lincoln to win to nil @ 7/2