English Football League / Ian Lamont / 10 September 2009 /

Ian Lamont is hoping that success breeds success in League Two this weekend

Stick with a winning team. Isn't that the adage? In that case, Barnet and Dagenham have to be backed this weekend - and equally Bury must be opposed.

Ian Hendon's Bees stung Northampton last Friday night and now the Cobblers have waved goodbye to their manager Stuart Gray after two-and-a-half years.

Whether Barnet can keep up their remarkable transformation from strugglers last season to promotion hopefuls - they briefly went top before Saturday's matches - is open to question. But so far, so good and the Bees are in form.

Like Bournemouth, bossed by Eddie Howe, they seem to have a bright young manager and maybe up and coming bosses with fresh faces suit this division best. Three of four teams promoted last season fitted that bill. Go into the lower leagues and gain some experience, it seems, is not just what Premiership managers tell their club teenagers, but an order to would-be top-level managers.

How many famous name coaches have been average players coming out of lower division football? Sven Goran-Eriksson, Jose Mourinho, Arsene Wenger are but three.

Hendon, who made what turned out to be astute loan signings in Paul Furlong and Gary Breen, seems to be getting the best out of Ismail Yakubu and might have finally got Ahmed Deen to settle down. If he can continue to get the best out of him then the [2.4] on Barnet to win at one of Deen's old clubs - Macclesfield - looks rather juicy. The roving full-back was at Moss Lane last season and I think after four straight wins and only one goal conceded the Bees can win away again. They even seem to come on strong after half-time.

Macclesfield fans, meanwhile, are already booing boss Keith Alexander, whose bald statement this time last year that supporters should not expect too much still rankles on the basis it shows little ambition. However, realism is to be respected. Matthew Tipton has returned for a third spell with the club and has scored three this season, but he can't do it all on his own.

John Still is still breathing fresh life into Dagenham, who have only failed to score once all season - against Notts County. John Nurse continues to silence the doubters up front, so while I'm backing those in form I'm sticking with him and strike partner Paul Benson as the Daggers host Chesterfield.

The visitors clearly still have some work to do, despite not conceding many and results being tight, but you know when your top scorer, James Lowry, is a defender and three of his four goals are penalties it shows a few deficiencies. It might indicate John Sheridon's side are causing opponents trouble in the penalty box, but it doesn't suggest you can break them down in open play. Free-scoring Dagenham therefore have to be backed at [2.1].

The big-priced value bet of the week is Cheltenham at [3.5]. I know that when I finally tip against Bury Murphy's Law will dictate they come good, but they appear to be really suffering, confidence-wise, from last season's play-off semi-final defeat. Early season injuries to the likes of Andy Bishop have not helped. When fully fit and in full flow last season, there were few who could compete with their attacking strengths. But maybe they lacked the stamina to keep others at bay and now other teams have worked them out. One option is to lay them at [2.4].

Martin Allen will have the Robins pumped up for what he will feel is an opportunity to exploit Bury's self doubt. They restricted visitors Dagenham in the second half of a 1-1 draw last Saturday and felt for the second Saturday running that they could have gained more than a point. A victory is overdue.

Having mentioned Eddie Howe, his Bournemouth side - with Steve Fletcher still going as strong as his passion for the club - should be taken at [1.8] to beat Lincoln at home. That is, of course, unless they appoint a new manager by then and he is officially in charge of the team, perhaps with a training session behind him and not just "watching before starting the job next week". If fully in charge, serendipity doth demand that his first game shall result in a victory. If Gary Brabin, who did well in his only season at Cambridge United, is appointed, be prepared for feathers to be seriously ruffled by the Scouser in the Imps' dressing room.

Best bet [2.1] Dagenham to beat Chesterfield
Barnet to win at Macclesfield at [2.4]
Bournemouth to beat Lincoln at [1.8]
Value bet Cheltenham to beat Bury at [3.5]

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