Saints join Brighton at head of League One betting

Rickie Lambert has been relatively quiet on the scoring front this season based on the high standards he has previously reached, but he may be ready to spark at the optimum time to help Southampton win League One.

Southampton joined Brighton at 11/8 the head of the League One betting after a 2-1 victory at Exeter, in which Lambert netted both goals, including a stoppage-time winner.

The result means that Southampton still have six points to make up on Brighton at the top of the standings, but four wins and one defeat in their last six games puts them among the form teams in the division.

Meanwhile, more goals from Lambert will only help their cause further as his double took his season’s tally in League One to 11.

Lambert scored more league goals than anybody else in top four divisions last season, although his 31 goals were still not enough to fire the Saints to promotion.

Although, unlikely to match this return in the current campaign, there is no doubting his scoring capabilities and his likelihood of finding the target with greater regularity over the remainder of the season.

Lambert has currently scored three league goals less than Peterborough’s Craig Mackail-Smith and Bradley Wright-Phillips of Charlton, but with Southampton’s promotion charge unlikely to falter, there is every chance this gap will be closed.

It is 5/1 in the League One betting that Lambert ends the season as top scorer and the fact that he is yet to embark on any kind of scoring streak makes this a price worth taking.

Lambert is almost certain to get the opportunity to add to his total when Southampton travel to Peterborough next in League One.

Peterborough have let in more goals at home than any other club in League One this season and Southampton are 11/8 to leave with maximum points.

A £25 stake on Lambert being the top scorer in League One this season would return £125. New customers can sign up here for a free £25 bet.