Easter has been and gone and now it is full steam ahead of the end of the season in Skybet League 2 and there is another round of matches in the division on Saturday.
After a hectic holiday period the men and the boys will be sorted out in this round of matches as the fatigue needs to be blown away and the pressure handled to secure three big points.
Saturday’s fixtures are as follows:
Accrington v Cambridge
Bristol Rovers v Crawley
Exeter v Plymouth
Hartlepool v Mansfield
Luton v Stevenage
Morecambe v Barnet
Northampton v Notts County
Portsmouth v Carlisle
Wycombe v Wimbledon
Yeovil v Newport
York v Leyton Orient
The leaders
Northampton can win promotion on Saturday if they win and Accrington lose and you would think they will take all three points against a Notts County side who are in turmoil but will they want to win in style or just win? That is the question we need to know the answer to in order to back the Cobblers on a big handicap.
Oxford don’t play in the league this weekend as they are playing in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy final at Wembley. It is a big day for Plymouth though. They got themselves back in the automatic promotion places with a win last week and now they head to their bitter rivals Exeter on Saturday. History has told me only to get involved in derby matches when there is a clear edge and there isn’t one there so I’ll leave that alone.
Playoff contenders
It is a big day for the four sides in the playoff places going into the weekend. Accrington have a winnable home game against Cambridge, for which they are odds on, while Bristol Rovers have likewise against Crawley. We saw Rovers feel the pinch last week and we’re in squeaky bum territory now so odds on shots aren’t for me this week.
Portsmouth and Wycombe face daunting challenges to keep the chasing pack at bay. Portsmouth host a dangerous Carlisle side who are looking to get themselves in the shake up for the end of season lottery while Wycombe, in the final playoff place starting the weekend, host an AFC Wimbledon side who are right in the mix themselves. Leyton Orient will be looking to take advantage of any slip ups when they head to York.
The rest
Hartlepool host Mansfield in a match between two sides with little to play for at the Victoria Ground while Luton host Stevenage in a match with local bragging rights at stake. Stevenage need points to fend off any late charge from those below them.
Morecambe play host to Barnet in another match between two sides going nowhere this season while Yeovil play host to a Newport side who look to have hit the beach already.
Bets
I’m taking two for this round of matches. The first is sticking close to home by taking Luton to beat Stevenage. If you look at the bare numbers you would think Luton are struggling again but actually they are probably playing as well now as any stage of the campaign. They’ve lost two of their last three but in those defeats they’ve been as dominant as any side you will see.
Stevenage look in a right mess. They’ve lost five of their last six matches and even the one they didn’t lose, last time out against an Oxford side with I suspect more than an eye on Wembley, they should have done and would have done but for a missed penalty.
Nathan Jones has spoken about his side winning in front of their own fans and they will have no better opportunity than this. If they can reproduce the performance of the last time they played at home, and be a little more clinical, then I expect them to see off a Stevenage side who are the joint second worst in the division on the road and who ship goals for fun.
Hartlepool have been good to me in recent weeks and now isn’t the time to desert them either. I’ve maintained all season long that Mansfield will fall away from the top end of the table, largely because they were never truly good enough to be there in the first place, but also because their squad isn’t the biggest and that is exactly what has happened and as a result they find themselves with little to play for here.
Hartlepool have one defeat in their last eight and are unbeaten in six and they haven’t conceded a goal in their last four matches. Just like last season they are finishing the season in fine form and look highly motivated to get as much out of the remainder of the campaign as they can. Wins against AFC Wimbledon and at Leyton Orient shows us they fear nobody.
On recent form I’m not sure how Mansfield are favourites in some quarters for this match. Hartlepool should be warm favourites and as they’re not they become a very juicy punt in this set of matches.
Tips
Back Luton (-0.25AH) to beat Stevenage for a 4/10 stake at 1.83 with Bet365
Back them here:
WON – Back Hartlepool to beat Mansfield (DNB) for a 4/10 stake at 1.91 with William Hill
Back them here:
