Betfair Official Blog

Non-league

Forest Green about to go for a Burton!

Click here to view market

Gary Boswell talks us through the betting as two very evenly matched sides clash in front of the Setanta cameras on Monday night when Burton Albion will vist Forest Green Rovers

A fascinating Live on Setanta game at the New Lawn Monday night between the two sides the Boz was keen on in the BSP before the season began. Both Jim Harvey's Forest Green Rovers and Nigel Clough's Burton Albion have acquitted themselves well throughout the season - both poised to improve on last season's league position if not quite covering themselves in the glory that consistency brings.

Burton come into this knowing that a win will elevate them into the runners up spot behind champions elect Aldershot and if Cambridge can get their act together and recover form to fight for third place, we have a chance of achieving that alphabetical ABC symmetry at the summit that I was predicting back in September! Such trivia always guaranteed to keep me happy!

[2.7] looks a fair price on a Burton win and the Albion are coming in unbeaten in the last six and putting together just the sort of run Clough would have wanted at this stage. They will be serious contenders for the play-offs if they can cement that status over the next few weeks.

Burton do get sway in the ratings because of the signing of exciting striker Matthew Williams who got off the mark with the winning goal at Farsley over Easter. There is also the suspension of super-striker Stuart Fleetwood for Rovers to deal with. He is certain to be missed but of greater concern for Rovers has been their ongoing goalkeeper problems. Talented potential Ryan Robinson has been on an inexplicable downward curve all season and his replacement, the enigmatic and aptly named Terry Burton is a dead ringer for the old Bruce Grobelaar with all the associated frolicks and frippery that brings. FGR chances of avoiding a concede have literally gone for a Burton and the no FGR clean sheet is a bet worth consideration.

Whichever keeper is on show will be encouragement for staking on Burton and/or against FGR in this one but the joker in the pack could be Adriano Rigoglioso. I will be checking out his presence in the starting line-up. I tracked 'The Rigo' from his early days with Marine, through important development years at Morecambe when he was part of Harvey,s 'magnificent midfield' in the 2003/04 season and on through years in the League with Doncaster Rovers.

Injury has meant his time at FGR has been slow to progress but there have been signs in recent weeks that he is working back to his best and has started getting regularly on to the scoresheet. He is a potential match-winner on his day and means that any staking against FGR has to be done with caution.

Two more bets Tuesday night as team of the moment Northwich Victoria get another chance to boost our coffers with a visit to the Glassworld. League positions mean that a decent lay price is available on the Stutes and I'm keen to keep milking profit from the extraordinary Houdini act that Dino Maamria has got happening in deepest Cheshire. One more win will get them out of the bottom four - an almost unthinkable eventuality at Xmas.

The other team of the moment is Mark Yates' Kidderminster Harriers. Like Forest Green, their realistic chance of making the play-offs is small and depends heavily on the continued wobbles of Stevenage and Cambridge but there is no denying the extraordinary form shown in their last two wins at Crawley and the Abbey where they read seven for and nil against.

Such irresistible form might prove too much for an Ebbsfleet side with a strong eye on the Trophy final. Liam Daish's internet entrepreneurs are worth a small lay.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

1.5pts Lay on Forest Green Rovers against Burton Albion at [2.8] or less

1pt Lay on Histon against Northwich Victoria

& 1pt Lay on Ebbsfleet against Kidderminster