The French Connection: FA Cup weekend can pay dividends

The French Connection / Andrew French / 06 November 2009 / Leave a Comment

The FA Cup is what every team in round one would love to get their hands on. Will Southampton and Torquay still be in with a chance after the weekend?

Back Watford @ 2.5; Back Southampton @ 2.38; Back Torquay @ 2.16; The Treble pays approximately 12.8

Andrew French has the FA Cup fixtures to study this week instead of his usual League One and Two games, but this hasn't prevented him from naming three sides that could land you a bumper payout if his treble is landed.

Leg 1: Watford at [2.5] to beat Preston

I'm taking a chance on my own team this weekend - and hoping that the Watford that turns up at Vicarage Road on Saturday is the one that impressively beat Sheffield Wednesday in front of the Sky TV cameras a fortnight ago, and not the one that crumbled to a 5-0 defeat at West Brom last Saturday.

For the neutral, Watford are the consummate entertainers as they score and concede goals aplenty: their last six games have seen the net bulge 22 times. Talismanic striker Heidar Helguson - back on loan at the club from QPR - is fit again, and he scored twice on his last Vicarage Road outing in mid-September. The Hornets bounced back from their last drubbing (a 4-0 home defeat to Cardiff) by winning at Middlesbrough, and if they respond as well to last week's whipping, they should be able to overcome inconsistent Preston. The Deepdale club have slipped outside the play-off places on the back of just one win in six games. Therefore, open your treble with Watford at [2.5].

Leg 2: Southampton at [2.38] to beat Bristol Rovers

For the remainder of the treble I've got to delve into the unknown with FA Cup ties replacing League One and League Two fixtures. However, there's plenty of form to guide me in my first selection as it's an all-League One affair with Bristol Rovers hosting Southampton. Rovers have fallen from grace dramatically in the last few weeks, as five consecutive defeats have seen them slide down the table. Ironically, their last victory was over the Saints but since then Alan Pardew's side have won four out of five and netted 15 times in the process. At [2.38], look for the Saints to go marching in.

Leg 3: Torquay at [2.16] to beat Cheltenham

If Torquay knew how to win games, they'd be dangerous. They are unbeaten in six league games: shame five of them were draws. However, they beat Northampton at home last weekend and that was far better preparation for this week's cup tie than Cheltenham, who were beaten 4-0 at home by Crewe. Cheltenham have not won in eight games stretching back to September 12, and they have conceded four goals three times in that sequence. With Torquay at least hard to beat, and Cheltenham seemingly forgotten how to win, I'm backing the Devon side at [2.16].

*The Treble pays around 12.8