NEW' YORK to outpace dire Bloods defence

Non-league / Gary Boswell / 31 December 2007 / Leave a Comment

Gary Boswell takes his pick of the first lower league matches of 2008

All the good work of Boxing Day undone with topsy-turvy results on Saturday proving that the Blue Square Premier is far from a done deal.

All credit to Paul Buckle and Torquay for bouncing back the six pointer of Boxing Day with a solid 1-0 over Woking whilst Aldershot faltered at Grays.

The New Year's Day games now assume massive proportions for both sides with Torquay having the tougher one again as they try for revenge on Exeter in the return Devon Derby. James Mackie remains on fire for the Grecians whilst Torquay are still a-creaking at the back but stuffed full of firepower up front. With Phillips,Sills,Zebroski,Welsh and Stevens all in the fifteen for Torquay, the main Boswell play will be on the over 2.5 goals market where I may actually stake a maximum five points if the price is right. I simply can't have this as a tight 1-0er and must confess that I'm tempted to Lay the Gulls again at short match odds. [1.86] might seem right in view of the league positions but if you watched the Boxing Day version at St James', you'll know that only Seaborne's sending off allowed the Gulls back into a game that Exeter had erstwhile dominated. That after Seaborne himself created one of the great goal-line stops early in the game to keep it 0-0.

Plenty of other plays in the BSP in Tuesday's rematches but with Northwich and Burton letting me down on Saturday, I'm loathe to go with them again albeit that they both have home bankers that they can win against basement boys Altrincham and Stafford. Aldershot likewise should win against a continually woeful Woking but the other bet at the odds must be on Colin Walker's York City away at Droyslden. Dave Pace's part-timers continue to acquit themselves with honour in what is proving a trying first season at the level. The Bloods defence,however, remains the worst in the league and I expect a rampant Minstermen - who have won six out of seven since Billy McKewen's departure - to prevail again. The main difference about this New York is that the leaks have been plugged at the back. Captain David McGurk has become a reliable colossus of organisation and even wobbly goalkeeper Tom Evans has received an education and is keeping consistent clean sheets. York carry the Boz nap at [2.0] or better as the Live on Setanta between Histon & Cambridge is a seriously awkward one to call. I slightly favour a marginal win for Jimmy Quinn but I won't be betting on that.

Cash saved for the two bankers in the Blue Square North. Barrow are a completely different side since the departure of manager Phil Wilson and the new incumbent's Sheridan & Bayliss' softly-softly approach - described from the dressing room as 'alternating good cop bad cop' - is working wonders. Darren Sheridan has pulled the filial card this week in signing midfielder Ashley Kelly from his brother's set up at Oldham and that will further strengthen a Bluebird squad that I expect to continue clambering up the table. Seven games unbeaten in the league now since the new management took over and a good thing to beat Vauxhall Motors again on Tuesday at Holker Street.Likewise Kettering to account for Solihull Moors. It does look like my dithering around the Poppies in the Outright market was uncalled for and the scoring form of striker Craig Westcarr has seriously put the Poppies back on the Championship track.

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