English Football League / Ian Lamont / 19 March 2009 /

Ian Lamont looks at the importance of keeping a core squad and keeping changes to a minimum as he previews Legue Two's weekend fixtures, including why Aldershot won't be coming away from Darlington empty-handed. Best bet: Exeter to win at Accrington [2.5].

Successful sides keep the bulk of players together for a couple of seasons. So one non-league manager regularly tells me as he jealously eyes the really good teams at the top of his division.

Many facets make a successful team but a group of players who bond and battle and lift each other certainly helps.

But a big part of what counts - and this a harsh lesson for this most rigid of form students - is the flesh on the statistical bones: the characters who shape a team's fortunes. One generalisation is that teams on a nation's outpost can gain success, like Yeovil, because the football population is less transient than, say, in south London where there are a proliferation of clubs players can easily switch to. You still have to make it count and Gary Johnson only got Yeovil out of non-league after insisting players moved to the area.

It takes someone a bit special to pull things together, as young Alex Inglethorpe - so impressively unfazed facing Sir Alex Ferguson in the FA Cup - was doing at Exeter City and as the cravat-wearing Paul Tisdale is continuing to do. Tisdale used about 20 players last season and has kept the thick end of that squad, adding players in carefully. Inglethorpe, now training Spurs' youngsters, no doubt had a hand in sending him Troy Archibald-Henville on loan. And while Steve Basham might be out just as he is forming a good partnership with Adam Stansfield, the Grecians can take all three points at Accrington, who are arguably based in one of those transient areas.

Stanley have their own core of regulars, led by Paul Mullin, but promoted Exeter, aiming for a third play-offs in as many years, should be backed to win at [2.5] on Betfair. Some bookmakers go as short as [2.1].

I am taken aback that I write the next sentence. I think my beloved Shots can win away this weekend. It's not often that I'm pretty confident about them away from home to the extent that I'd put my money on them so here's my rationale behind the bet....

Most of their recent poor run has coincided with the injury to talismatic leader, keeper Nicky Bull. But they won without him last weekend, and in midweek. So either vanquished Rotherham see Gary Waddock's men as their bogey side having also lost in a home midweek FA Cup replay, or the Shots have come out of their recent slump. Maybe it is in between, but Lewis Chalmers's resurgency has played its part. Last season's player of the year, by his own admission, had not worked hard enough in training to gain a place last autumn. Loaned out to Crawley last month, he is back bossing the midfield. New faces alongside him Andy Sandell and striker Jake Robinson have undoubtedly helped.

John Grant is also firing again and even before Darlington's fall since going into administration Dave Penney feared a fixture backlog would undermine their play-off push. Now he is fielding several youngsters sooner than he would have liked to make up a squad. At [2.2], Darlington can certainly be layed.

Elsewhere, it is conceivable that Port Vale might not register another point this season, such is their horrible run-in of Bradford (a), Chesterfield (a), Exeter (a), Bury (h), Aldershot (h), Rochdale (a), Rotherham (h), Grimsby (a), Wycombe (h) and Barnet (a). I doubt they will get nothing at all, but feel certain that Bradford will take all three points on Saturday. After three defeats - all away from home, making five barren trips in a row - it seems inconceivable that Stuart McCall will let5 his charges slip at home, where they have been mostly excellent. Back them at [1.75].

Lastly, I could recommend backing Bournemouth at home to Notts County, or Bury at home to Chester, but at short prices and this being Betfair, laying Lincoln for the second week appeals more. At [2.75] Barnet are tempting and their need for points is more pressing. The Imps have players who can hurt them, such as Dany N'Guesson, but with Anthony Elding suspended they are a lay at up to [2.6].

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