Welcome to this weekend's edition of Roker Riches 2021/22.

SAFC’s next tie sees the Sunderland lads travel to Accrington, hoping to get back to some sort of decent form after a woeful display at home to Lincoln in the week. Not sure if there was anything we got right on that Tuesday night, but we have to keep the faith that it was an off day, and hope the lads are going to come out swinging this Saturday afternoon.

Accrington are in mixed form, with 2 draws in a row for their last 2 games, preceded by 2 wins (one of which was a 5-1 thrashing of Fleetwood at home), and then a loss before that. They also notably beat Rotherham on Boxing Day by a goal to nil, so we will have our work cut out.

Photo by Chris Vaughan - CameraSport via Getty Images

Sunderland lost their long unbeaten run on Tuesday after taking 8 points from the available 12 before that. They probably lost a lot of confidence and swagger too. The small ground with the close-up crowd won't make it easy for the lads this next match, nor will the fact that we will likely have a minimal amount of extra players back from injury and Covid isolation (plus Winchester is banned), so this isn't going to be a walk in the park.

For many though, only a win will do, as we have several teams now breathing down our necks in the chasing pack. Wycombe are only a point behind after squeezing a draw from us than doing better than we did in the following game. Wigan are 5 points back with the same amount of games in hand.

It’s going to be an interesting January… how on earth we are supposed to bet on SAFC when we go from performances like Wycombe to Lincoln is anyone’s guess!

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The Roker Riches table...

Only one winner in the last round. The lad with the biggest shoulders (needed for holding up the table) won £50 when the mighty Cambridge Utd beat our neanderthal friends up the A19 1-0.

If Ross’s header was given to him rather than being an OG off the keeper's butt, Gair would have had an extra £400 to go with that, after backing a double Hattie for Rossco. Fine margins even exist with goalkeepers arses eh!

Had we held on for the 3-2 win, Malc would have had nearly a ton too. Bloody stoppage time. So many ifs and butts…

Despite Gair’s win (which was heavily influenced by some suggestions by Malc), he is still propping up the table and under £100. No change other than Danny has dropped below £500 after betting and losing £15 last time out.

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Banker’s Bonus...

Big Ross scored to trigger the last Riches bonus against Wycombe, and as mentioned he almost got a back-to-back hattrick, hence the lads all have an extra tenner this week for their punts to return even bigger wins.

Hopefully, we can get back to winning habits and the next bonus can give us a chance to build our betting table as much as the league points.

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This round’s bets!

Anthony Gair says...

Sunderland to return to form and win by more than 2 goals

We are mint, and don’t let that game against Lincoln fool you. Aye, we’re allowed a blip, and we’re used to losing more than one in a row because of our “Streaky Lee”, but that’s not happening this month.

Sunderland -2 handicap result is 6-1.

£20 returns £140, including Bankers tenner. Money for nothing.

Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images

Newcastle to lose and Sunderland to win (BTTS)

Not being biased, but the Mags are shite, and we’re mint as I stated earlier. Newcastle to get beat off Watford is 13/5 and Sunderland to win with Accrington Stanley to score too is 3/1… both as a double is 13.4/1 with Bet365.

£10 returns £144. Get it on!

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Luke ‘Bomber’ Davies says...

Bankers Bonus!

The all-mighty banker has granted us Riches writers an additional £10 to fritter away thanks to a goal from Stewart in the Wycombe game. It’s a free hit, so let’s have some fun with it…

- Sunderland to beat Accrington, Watford to beat Newcastle, Middlesbrough to draw with Reading

£10 returns £282.62

Sunderland Bet Builder

One (albeit embarrassing) defeat won’t derail our season and the “Chris Maguire effect” won’t be seen again at the SoL for its remainder. Back on track against Accrington for me with the following bet builder;

- Over 2.5 goals, Sunderland to win, Ross Stewart LAST goalscorer

£5 returns £69.48

Photo by Will Matthews/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Premier League weekender

Something for the weekend, not just Saturday afternoon? OK then!

Saturday - Leicester to win, Wolves to win

Sunday - West Ham to Win

£5 returns £48.53

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Paul Fletcher says…

Sunderland to win 4-0:

We need to bounce back quickly from the disappointment of Tuesday and make sure that it goes down as a blip rather than the start of a bad run. Accrington are in decent form and to go there and get a win of any description would be decent. I just think that Lee Johnson and this group of players will have a point to prove. If we’re on it from the first kick and we convert an early chance, we could really kick on and dish out a pasting.

£5 returns £170

Saturday Fourfold:

In the Premier League, Leicester have only won twice on the road this season but I’m backing them to notch a third when they visit Burnley. In the Championship, Preston are on a decent run and should have enough to beat Birmingham. In League One, Shrewsbury are on fire and have pulled well clear of the bottom three - they look a good price to win at struggling Crewe and add to their relegation worries. Finally, in League Two, I’m backing Tranmere to beat Rochdale.

£5 returns £130.54

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

Banker’s Bonus Double Dutch:

I’m going for Ajax to beat Utrecht with BTTS followed by PSV to beat Groningen with BTTS. Obviously the current frontrunners in the Dutch league are huge favourites and moderately priced but adding the BTTS element pushes the odds to almost 7/1.

£10 returns £78.75

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Danny Roberts says...

Sunderland to lose 2-1.

Accrington is a tough place to go and our squad is looking light, regardless of Covid cases clearing up. Add to that an awful performance on Tuesday and the potential of a streaky Johnson run beginning, this one looks a very good bet.

£5 returns £65.

League 1 triple:

Rotherham, Wigan and Lincoln all to win. I’m hoping if I bet on two of our nearest and dearest, they’ll drop points.

£20 returns £95.36 (including Bankers Bonus tenner).

Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images

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Malc Dugdale says...

SAFC back as was

That has to be a blip or we may well have another issue this season. I am backing the lads and the gaffer to get 3 goals, but maybe let one or two in while still securing the win.

SAFC to win 3-0, 3-1 or 3-2 is 11-2 with SkyBet. Returns £32.50 for my fiver.

League One 4-way Acca

I fancy wins for Wimbledon, Ipswich, Charlton and Wigan this weekend. I dont really want Wigan winning, but if they do and start catching us up, I at least want some winnings out of it.

This 4 way creates odd of almost 13-1 on Skybet, and with my fiver plus my bankers tenner, this can bring in a nice £202.80 if it lands.

Have it.

Photo by Will Matthews/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

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Michael Dunne says...

Chris Wood to score first

Has to happen doesn’t it. I’m expecting Newcastle’s big new signing to hit the ground running with a goal on Saturday against Watford. It’s a big game for both sides but I think the new signing could be the difference. First goalscorer possible too. £15 @ 9/2 returns £82.50 (including the generous Bankers tenner)

Accrington 1-2 Sunderland

Expecting a response from the lads this weekend, but not without a little a bit of anxiety along the way. Expecting a right tussle. Accrington won’t make it easy and will feel they can pull off a result. I think the lads will get over the line but only just.

£5 @15/2 returns £42.50

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Please remember to gamble responsibly, and enjoy the footy!

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