English Football League / Ian Lamont / 21 August 2008 / Leave a comment

Ian Lamont looks at the odds ahead of this weekend's League Two fixtures where Chester look like tasting defeat at Rotherham.

People often say they can remember exactly what they were doing when a major event happens.

In sport, we tend to be a bit more contrived. We attend an event and proudly boast: "I was there."

Well, I can remember exactly where I was for Aldershot's first home Football League game in 16 years last Saturday - stuck static in a mile-long jam behind an accident on the A3 as I tried in vain to reach the ground. An email from my brother later that evening, saying he had been in the Bird's Nest in Beijing to witness Usain Bolt's spectacular 100m victory, did not improve my mood.

Just like me on Saturday, Chester City are going nowhere - to the frustration of all around them. You know something is amiss when the fans are calling for the board to quit, despite the reported huge quantities of cash head honcho Stephen Vaughan has put into the club.

The basic problem seems to be one of achieving stability at the bit the public sees on a weekly basis, namely the football. Including caretakers, the Blues have had 15 managers since the turn of the century. If only permanent appointments are counted the figures is still a huge nine - and one of those (Mark Wright) had the job twice, winning them their Football League place back the first time around.

The summer departure of target man John Murphy to St Patrick's Athletic, Dublin, has not helped matters. Striker Ryan Lowe - back from Crewe for a second spell at the Deva - has much work to do to lift the team. He did score twice against Leeds in the Carling Cup, but the visitors were in command by then. Even if he can strike up a partnership with the forward-roving Kevin Ellison or build on the busy midfield work of French new boy Damien Mozika, the big problems are in defence, where injuries and disorganisation pervade.

It all points to another defeat at Rotherham, who should be backed at [1.58] to win at the Don Valley on Saturday. Sooner or later, a side is going to win promotion after suffering a points deduction. Rotherham were ninth last season even 10 points down and Mark Robins' side can build on a great start. Robins was looking to sign an experienced striker and he has certainly done that with Drewe Broughton, 29, from MK Dons. He has made 300-odd Football League appearances, but might benefit from a good run in a side after so many loans and new clubs over the years.

At this time of year, there are still plenty of players moving or trying to. This week Ian Craney left Accrington, for a second time. Huddersfield are the lucky recipients of a midfield dynamo who did much to gain Stanley's league place and keep them there. It will be interesting to see if Macclesfield can exploit the gap on Saturday and the Silkmen, I fancy, could well pick up their first point of the season at Stanley. The draw - between two sides who may well be level pegging in the bottom seven come May - is the selection at [3.4].

A player who clearly wants a move is Bournemouth striker Jo Kuffour, who has reportedly submitted a transfer request with Bristol Rovers interested. It is one of those unfathomable mysteries of football that the Bristol side had a sizeable bid turned down for the striker - who should be playing at least one level higher - when Bournemouth were in administration. And there was me thinking that administrators would be eager to sell any assets they could to raise funds to pay creditors!

With Kevin Bond's sides have a few injury worries, they are a lay at [1.91] against an Exeter side who will be well supported on their shortest trip of the season and who were unfortunate to lose at home to Shrewsbury last weekend. With neither side scoring or conceding more than one goal a game so far, I shall be looking to play in the under 2.5 goals market at anything close to [2.0].

Lastly, Peter Taylor's Wycombe should be nothing short of a home banker at [1.85] against Lincoln, whose keeper Rob Burch had some moments he will want to forget at home to Dagenham.

Tags: Accrington, Aldershot, Bournemouth, Bristol Rovers, Chester City, Damien Mozika, Drewe Broughton, Exeter, Huddersfield, Ian Craney, Jo Kuffour, John Murphy, Kevin Bond, Kevin Ellison, Macclesfield, Mark Robins, Mark Wright, Peter Taylor, Rotherham, Ryan Lowe, Shrewsbury, St Patrick's Athletic, Wycombe