The French Connection: Morecambe a wise choice in this week's treble

The French Connection / Andrew French / 20 November 2009 /

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Comedy legends Morecambe and Wise may have had little to do with football, but if the football club by the same name can complete your treble this weekend, you might just have made a very wise choice

Back Middlesbrough @ [2.04]; Back Bristol Rovers @ [2.02]; Back Morecambe @ [2.2]; The Treble pays approximately [9.0]

Out-of-form Boro, struggling Bristol Rovers, and lowly Morecambe are Andrew French's treble picks this weekend. But as our man explains, all three have reasons to expect a victory on Saturday.

Leg 1: Middlesbrough at [2.04] to beat Notts Forest

I wouldn't normally want to back a team that has lost more home games than it has won against a side unbeaten away - especially if the home side had not won in three games and the visitors were undefeated in eight. But I'm making an exception when it comes to Middlesbrough's game against Nottingham Forest. It's been anything but a honeymoon period for new Boro boss Gordon Strachan who has not managed a point or even a goal in his two games so far. However, he's had the fortnight afforded by an international break to work with his squad and has bolstered an attack that has managed just seven home league goals with the loan signing of Dave Kitson.

There is no knocking Forest's unbeaten away record - any side that manages to go eight league trips without defeat commands respect. But you have to consider that six of them were draws and their two victories have come at lowly clubs (Peterborough and Plymouth). Boro must start taking maximum points at home if they are to get back up to the top flight, so I'm including them at [2.04].

Leg 2: Bristol Rovers at [2.02] to beat Gillingham

The gloom lifted somewhat from Bristol Rovers last weekend as they ended a run of five straight league defeats by beating in-form Carlisle. Rovers were flying earlier in the season but that slump has left them outside the play-off positions. However, a team good enough to win seven of its first eight league fixtures doesn't become bad overnight, and I am prepared to accept they merely went through a rough patch and are now back on track.

Given that, I am confident they will be able to account for Gillingham at The Memorial Stadium this weekend. The Gills are comfortably League One's worst travellers, with just one point from eight games. They have conceded four goals on their travels three times this season, including at lowly Tranmere. If Rovers have rediscovered their form from earlier in the season, then [2.02] is a tasty price.

Leg 3: Morecambe at [2.2] to beat Cheltenham

At the risk of being accused of kicking a team when they're down, I'm happy to bet against Cheltenham wherever they may be at the moment. We still had daylight until well after teatime when the Robins last won a game: September 12 to be precise. Since then it's been four draws and six defeats in all competitions - and they have shipped 23 goals in that dreadful 10-game sequence.

Their hosts this weekend, Morecambe, are not exactly flying themselves as they sit only a couple of places and points above Cheltenham. But at least Sammy McIlroy's side are showing a semblance of form: they have won their last two league games and ran League One Carlisle close over two games in the FA Cup. They also average almost two goals a game at home - and that ought to cause Cheltenham's porous defence some problems. At [2.2], complete your treble with Morecambe.

*The Treble pays around [9.0]