football | Thursday, May 11, 2023 10:31 AM (Revised at: Friday, May 12, 2023 5:18 PM)

Peterborough vs Sheffield Wednesday Bet Builder Tips: 2.30 Builder for Friday’s Playoff Clash

Sam Ingram

Peterborough vs Sheffield Wednesday Bet Builder Tips: Friday, May 12th

League One may be over, but playoff football is just beginning, and with that, we’ve got Peterborough vs Sheffield Wednesday bet builder tips here for you at bettingexpert.

In this article:

Peterborough vs Sheffield Wednesday Preview
Peterborough vs Sheffield Wednesday Stats & Facts
Peterborough vs Sheffield Wednesday Bet Builder

Peterborough vs Sheffield Wednesday Preview

League One Playoff Semi-Final, Friday, May 12th, 20:00 (UK)

Jonson Clarke-Harris’ opening goal away in Barnsley meant he would not only put the initial building block into a playoff-clinching victory at Oakwell but that he would finish as League One’s joint-highest scorer after another fruitful 46-game campaign. Ipswich’s Conor Chaplin was unable to add to his 26-goal tally on the final day, ensuring both goal-getters get to share the accolade of the division’s most clinical.

Peterborough’s number nine will need to continue his head-turning record in League One if the playoffs are to be an obstacle The Posh can overcome. The league’s sixth-best side, who pipped Derby County to a shot at a playoff berth as the curtain closed, will take on third-placed Sheffield Wednesday in a double-legged tie to decide a Championship decider at Wembley.

Barnsley and Bolton make up the other side of League One’s playoff structure, with the former priced as 1.75 favourites to progress and meet one of Sheffield Wednesday and Peterborough. The head-to-head data between the two sides read as a home win for Posh and a home win for The Owls, though the 2-0 September win for Friday’s home team did benefit from a 34th-minute red card to Wednesday defender Reece James.

A better indicator of where these teams are at over the course of the season comes in the way of the 20-point difference between 3rd and 6th, as well as the 17 losses for Peterborough and only six in games involving the Yorkshiremen.

In any other season, the likelihood of Wednesday going up automatically with 96 points would be extremely high. For example, 96 points would have confirmed Wednesday as Champions in 2021/22 ahead of Wigan, breezed past Hull’s 89 points the season prior, and again put them ahead of the rest in 2018/19 (Luton – 89 points) before COVID curtailed proceedings in the following campaign.

Still, the presence of a rampant Ipswich Town and a Plymouth Argyle team relentlessly churning out victories all season long was enough to confirm they’ll need to navigate another three matches for the prize of Championship football.

So, the burning question is, will the footballing gods grant Sheffield Wednesday safe passage considering their efforts this term? Darren Ferguson’s Peterborough are dangerous, and the powers that be above us don’t usually act so kindly.

Peterborough vs Sheffield Wednesday Stats & Facts

Sheffield Wednesday (2.09) are the only team in the EFL to muster a points-per-game ratio of over 2.00 this season and not be automatically promoted.
Jonson Clarke-Harris has scored 16, 13, 31, 12 and 26 league goals in his last five seasons.
The Owls would have won League One last season by two points with the 96 points they managed in 2022/23.
Barry Bannan’s 13 assists this season was only outdone by Leif Davis’ 14 in Ipswich colours.

Peterborough vs Sheffield Wednesday Bet Builder

Only six teams averaged more goals scored at home than Peterborough (1.65 goals per90) in League One in the close season. Given they finished in the final playoff spot in 6th, I suppose you’d say that’s about right. However, what is enticing about The Posh at home, is their 25 goals conceded in 23. Exeter City and Shrewsbury Town are the two teams that finished in the top half to unwantedly pip Peterborough in the goals-conceded stakes on their own patch.

So, how about a 1.80 BTTS punt to kick off the bet builder? Sheffield Wednesday arrives having finished the season boasting 1.39 goals per90 when playing away from Sheffield. I’d expect them to have their chances in the first leg, and with Peterborough assumingly feeling as if they have to lay a marker down or face a massively uphill battle in the second leg, I wouldn’t be shocked if both shared the spoils here.

Given the attractive-looking 1.80 price to start us off, we don’t need too much else to cap off the bet builder. Given the game’s importance and the referee in the middle, the cards market is next up.

Anthony Blackhouse takes charge in Cambridgeshire. A 4.69 cards per90 figure from 16 games in League One best explains his attitude to getting his cards out. In addition, and delving into that number a little more, 3.38 cards per90 have fallen in the second half of games, with 1.31 before the half-time whistle.

That makes me believe Blackhouse is much more likely to clamp down on challenges and persistent fouling after the break – like most referees – making the Over 1.5 Second Half Cards a sensible inclusion.