League Two Betting: Accrington Stanley's FA Cup exertions will cost them in the league

English Football League / Ian Lamont / 13 November 2008 / Leave a Comment

Ian Lamont talks us through the best bets out there in the world of League Two football.

John Coleman's Stanley side must be at a serious disadvantage to be playing just 48 hours later against Bournemouth and are to be layed at [2.3], especially if the cup replay goes to extra time. Coleman will be feeling particularly uncomfortable if, somehow, keeper Kenny Arthur can keep that third straight clean sheet - remember, the gaffer has promised to wear a kilt if that happens.

The lay is the bet partly because to actually tip Bournemouth is to invite sudden injury disaster upon ex-Spurs winger Darren "sicknote" Anderton, who appears to be having the time of his life in the autumn of his youth. Besides, it is almost a couple of months since the Cherries picked up a win on the road in the league - and that, stunningly, came at Bradford City.

For Stuart McCall's men, that was arguably part of a "blip", as Glenn Hoddle liked to call consecutive defeats. The Bantams, undoubtedly in the hunt for promotion this season, are among several big-priced away sides this weekend. But even after they upset MK Dons away in the Cup, it is hard to see Bradford getting all three points at Adams Park, where Wycombe give little away.

Add into the mix Chairboys striker Matt Harrold's new-found confidence after his televised hat-trick against AFC Wimbledon - albeit with the help of the worst defending he is likely to face this campaign - and the home side will be in no mood to let their unbeaten league record fall. The weekend's big game is hard to call - a wager in the under 2.5 goals market being the way to play.

Morecambe, however, are over-priced at [3.35] to win at a sorry Chester outfit. City sacked another manager this week. Caretaker Wayne Allison stepped in to become their 16th boss of the century (including temporary ones). One wonders why the board don't take a leaf out of the book of the first club of the departed Simon Davies. Manchester United, afterall, have had the same man in charge for a couple of decades.

Combine the disarray at the Deva with striker Danny Carlton's emotional return to Morecambe and it is hard to see Chester gaining anything from this fixture. Carlton should slot right back in to where he came, having helped the Christie Park outfit gain a football league place 18 months ago and then upping sticks to Carlisle, who now return him on loan for a month.

Will any sides have their minds on next week's cup replays? Well, it won't be any good either side using that excuse at Neasham Road, where the players of both Darlington and Lincoln City could be forgiven for having their minds elsewhere. They both face tricky ties against non-league opposition next week.

Both sides had red hot Octobers, the Quakers picked up 14 points and going top of the league, while Peter Jackson's fast-improving Imps took 16 points, on the face of it making [4.5] a surprisingly long price on the visitors on Saturday.

Have the bookies gone a little doolaley over Dave Penney's table toppers by making them an odds-on [1.8]? Probably not. They score twice as many as they concede in a strong home record even if 19-year-old hot-shot Billy Clarke, who is on loan from Ipswich, has scored the majority of his eight goals away from home. It is surely time he bagged a couple more at home and Darlington are a confident bet.

Recommendations:

Lay Accrington at [2.3]
Under 2.5 goals Wycombe v Bradford
Morecambe to win at Chester at [3.35]
Darlington to beat Lincoln at [1.8]