League Two Betting Preview: Spireites aim for the top

English Football League / Ian Lamont / 02 April 2009 / Leave a Comment

Chesterfield's star man hopes to notch his 50th goal for the club this weekend and, while automatic promotion may be distant dream, Ian Lamont reckons the Spireites will be celebrating come Saturday tea-time. Best Bet: Back Chesterfield at [2.3].

I've said it before, but Aldershot Town lack a right back and miss keeper Nicky Bull. I only repeat myself because, having watched their draw at home to Chesterfield on Tuesday, there is relevance for this weekend's games.

This is not so much from the Shots' point of view but from the perspective of Lee Richardson's side.

Louie Soares filled the right back berth for Gary Waddock's men, as he has done for much of the season, and the Spireites quickly exploited the weakness with Jack Lester scoring early on.

But although Aldershot's slick, expansive game played into Chesterfield's hands on a beautiful carpet pitch the visitors failed to "carpet" their opponents as they should have done. Instead they allowed their hosts to grow in confidence and equalise.

That had much to do with left-sided attacker Peter Till being taken off. He has been struggling with a hamstring injury, but in his absence Chesterfield failed to exploit the left channel's potential weakness.

There was still much to like about Chesterfield, whose unchanged line-up is surely the key to their recent surge up the table. They still average two points a game, as shown by the March table at the bottom of this article, which makes Richardson a clear candidate for the manager of the month award that is announced soon after this column is published.

Richardson still fancies his side as automatic promotion candidates - which might be a stretch too far - but they have plenty of strengths, such as centre-backs Aaron Downes and Danny Hall. Lewis Montrose and Derek Niven do sterling work in midfield - and then of course there is Lester.

The division's second top scorer let his head drop after continually fouling man-of-the-match Anthony Charles and then wondering why he was being penalised. It is easy to criticise or to suggest that a) this tough-looking attacker shouldn't be bothered by a few knock-backs and b) he has the skills to find another way through. But perhaps he normally relies on injured Danny Gritton (back) to do the donkey work.

Certainly, Lester will be looking for his 50th Chesterfield goal against Macclesfield, where the visitors should be backed to take three points at [2.2]. Keith Alexander's side have suffered five straight defeats and 11 losses in 14 games. Chesterfield's price is too big, even if Richardson lands the monthly curse.

So what of the Shots? By the end, they were playing with the free-flowing confidence of the early part of the season and their home form is still pretty strong. That regular team line-up is coming back, too. And having neither relegation or promotion to play for gives them a certain freedom. Although their away from has been their undoing, they appear to have mastered how to beat Rotherham and, while they might miss talismatic keeper Bull, Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz made several fine saves. I shall be laying the Robins at [2.8].

Elswehere, John Coleman is another manager of the month candidate and with Accrington's form his side are a good wager at [2.4] to beat Lincoln at home.

Will it be fourth time lucky for Kenny Arthur, who provoked Coleman to promise to wear a kilt if he could keep three straight clean sheets? Two opportunities have passed this season. Couple that with Stanley being beaten just once in nine home games and only one of those matches featuring more than two goals and a side bet on the under 2.5 goals market is in order at [1.8] if possible.

I'm wary at this stage of the season of backing very odds-on chances. Shrewsbury to win at home for example? Grimsby have too much at stake to make that a cert. Exeter, even after their stoicism with 10 men to defeat Port Vale on Tuesday, won't tempt below evens against Dagenham who, like Aldershot, could find enough confidence to take a point.

My choice for the short-priced - and thus a low risk - lay is Gillingham at [1.8] against a Barnet side who took advantage of faltering Wycombe in midweek and still have work to do to avoid relegation. The longer trips haven't worked out for the Bees of late, but the experience they have added with the likes of Paul Furlong has reaped dividends at home and on shorter trips and they can be confident of a vociferous following. They might just have too much desire to let Paul Stimson's side take all three points.

Team Form: March

Brentford WDWDLDD
Gillingham DWWDWLD
Rochdale LLWLWLD
Bury LWDDDDW
Morecambe WDWDL
Exeter DWLWLDW
Bournemouth WDWWWLL
Chesterfield WDWDWLWWD
Shrewsbury DWDDDD
Darlington WLLLWWLW
Bradford C WWLLLLD
Rotherham DWWWDD
Lincoln WLDLLDW
Wycombe WDLDLDD
Dagenham LLWDW
Notts County LLLDLWD
Barnet WWLLWLD
Luton DLWLWWWL
Macclesfield LWLLLLL
Grimsby LWLDLWW
Accrington LWDWWWD
Port Vale DLWLWLL
Aldershot LLDWWLLD
Chester LLDDD