Non-League Betting: Burton could stutter away to Mansfield

Non-league / Gary Boswell / 27 December 2008 / 1 Comments

If you had listened to Gary Bosewll throughout the season, you will already have a nice all- green position on the Blue Square Premier winner market by having backed Nigel Clough's side. That said, their trip to Mansfield could well end Burton's winning run...

All eyes on Field Mill Monday night as managerless Mansfield see if they can put a spoke in the relentlessly rolling wheel that is Burton's title challenge. The Brewers showed championship form on Boxing Day coming from behind to win at home to York and thus opened up a ten point lead at the top of the Conference. Although the pursuers have games in hand, that equates to a four game swing now with just twenty-one games left.

Perfectly possible for the Brewers to blow it of course with plenty of six pointer games in those twenty one fixtures but Betfair punters are starting to agree with me and the price contracted to [2.76] on the outrights and will shrink again if they win at Mansfield on Monday.

The Setanta cameras give us ample opportunity to assess the way the Brewers are shaping up and it's a game that must not be missed. The Stags had been on a massive downturn in form following their points deduction from earlier in the season.The sacking of manager Billy McKewan seems to have worked the oracle in waking the players up. The 1-3 win at Kettering on Boxing Day was the second consecutive win and sign that a genuine turnaround in form can be hoped for by the Mansfield faithful.

If you go on early season form, Burton are going to have it far from easy and the [2.25] on an away win does seem a little short despite the eight game league winning run that Burton are on.
Mansfield's key could lie in Nottingham Forest Loanee Emile Sinclair who got on the scoresheet at Kettering and adds serious class to the Nathan Arnold/Aaron O'Connor strikeforce that caretaker Mark Stallard has constructed up front in order to consign himself to the bench. Burton will get a tough test and although I think Mansfield will have to be on top form to secure all three points, if you can get [2.9] or greater on a Stags win, it might prove excellent value at this time of year and is arguably cover if you are following me big-time supporting Burton in the outrights.

The fact that closest pursuers Histon and Torquay play 24 hours before might have a bearing on things. The Stutes need to put stuttering form behind them on a visit to a Grays Athletic side who won against the odds at Ebbsfleet on Boxing Day and are showing signs of wagging their tail against the imminent relegation that beckoned a few weeks back.

Torquay also have a tough one at home to a still in touch Kidderminster for whom Mark Barnes-Homer and Justin Richards still pose a potent forward threat. If both Torquay and Histon fail to collect three points on Sunday, I would see that as a tremendous psychological boost to take the tension off the Brewers on Monday night. I will not be opposing Burton if Torquay and Histon both fail to win.

Boxing Day threw up a greater incidence of draws than we have come to expect in BSP this season and this is often a seasonal trend to the extent that I had draw predictions very much on my mind when sizing up Sunday's games. Only one that looks really backable to me though is Northwich-Salisbury where a price or [3.5] or greater will tempt me. Vics are starting to get to the desperate phase in their fight against relegation whereas Salisbury chalked up a much needed confidence booster in their Boxing Day win at home to Oxford so that maybe a Lilywhites win can be expected again on Sunday. I'm banking on the feisty Steve King to have not given up on the Vics though and can see them battling their way to a much needed point.

Only three serious bets on Sunday for me and they are all home bankers. Crawley should be taken at [1.6] or greater to continue the dismal away record of visiting Eastbourne. Wrexham showed their mettle on Boxing Day by rescuing a last minute point at Barrow and will find things easier at home to Woking on Sunday. They are also worth a bet at [1.6]. York at [1.8] are the least fancied of the three in their home encounter against Altrincham. The Minstermen are becoming draw specialists but are still a backable proposition at the KitKat against an Altrincham side who have been in very miserly form to end the year.

THE BOZ'S RECOMMENDED BETS:

1pt BACK CRAWLEY to beat Eastbourne at [1.6] or greater
1pt BACK WREXHAM to beat Woking at [1.6] or greater
1pt BACK YORK to beat Altrincham at [1.8] or greater

Comments (1)

1. Daz | 30 December 2008

   Well Burton have got a massive advantage now but from what I saw in the York game I still wasnt that impressed by Burton and I thought York were unlucky although I didnt see the final 20 minutes but the equaliser was a lucky goal and im guessing the winner was lucky as well. For the reporter in the Non League Paper to say that Burton proved they were the best team in the league I thought was a very odd comment. I still think its Torquay although I have a feeling they are going to blow it again like last year altough on that occassion the best team won.
   It will be interesting to see if Clough goes to Forest as that would have a massive impact on Burton.