Accrington vs Oldham: football previews & free football betting tips, 5th August 2025

August 3, 2025 KickTheBookies

Introduction

Accrington Stanley and Oldham Athletic meet in the preliminary round of the EFL Cup at the Crown Ground (Wham Stadium) on Tuesday 5th August 2025. Both sides enter the match following opening-day draws in League Two, offering a competitive cup clash early in the season.

Team News

Accrington Stanley

Manager John Doolan is expected to rotate his squad after their 1–1 draw at home to Gillingham.
Backup goalkeeper Oliver Wright could start. New signings including Seamus Conneely and Alex Henderson are in contention.
Defender Devon Matthews, signed in January, is available after making his debut late last season.

Oldham Athletic

Recalled to League Two from the National League, Oldham boss Micky Mellon is also likely to rest regulars.
Players such as Tom Donaghy, Will Sutton, Josh Hawkes, Kian Harratt and Billy Waters were on the bench for their solid 0–0 draw at MK Dons and may feature here.

Form

Accrington Stanley: Opened the season with a 1–1 draw at home to Gillingham. In their final five matches of last season they managed one win, two draws and two defeats, including high‑scoring friendlies.
Oldham Athletic: Also started 2025‑26 with a goalless draw at MK Dons. In the National League play-offs they won promotion with a 3–2 extra‑time victory over Southend and showed attacking form thereafter.
Head-to-head: In recent meetings, Accrington have won 3 of the last 6 matches, Oldham have won once, and there have been two draws.

Attack vs Defence

Accrington Stanley averaged around 1.8 goals scored and conceded 1.8 per match in recent fixtures, with both high-scoring draws and mixed defensive displays.
Oldham Athletic: In their last six games conceded only 0.6 goals per match on average and scored around 1.2 per game, demonstrating a solid defensive base.

Players to Watch

Accrington Stanley

Shaun Whalley and Ben Woods both scored nine goals in League Two last season and are expected to lead the attack again.
Tyler Walton scored in their opener and may retain his place upfront.
Devon Matthews provides defensive experience since his mid-season arrival.

Oldham Athletic

Billy Waters and Kian Harratt emerged prominently during their play‑off campaign and are key goal threats.
Ryan Woods, a summer signing from Exeter, will likely marshal midfield and influence tempo.

KickTheBookies Prediction

Predicted Score: Accrington Stanley 1–1 Oldham Athletic (Oldham to win on penalties)

Accrington’s home advantage and rotation may offer chances, but Oldham’s recent defensive solidity and form in decisive cup matches could edge them through after a draw.

Why this prediction:

Both sides rested players in their season openers and may field rotated XIs—level fitness and sharpness.
Oldham conceded very few goals in their run to promotion and look organised.
Cup ties between these teams often end tight; historical scorelines suggest a close match with potential for penalties.

Betting Tips

Main Tip: Draw in 90 minutes
Outcome: Oldham to progress via penalties
Alternative Bet: Under 2.5 goals – tight defensive nature expected

KickTheBookies bet

Back the draw at odds of 11/5.

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