As ever at this stage of the season the matches come thick and fast in Skybet League Two. After a full round of fixtures at the weekend there is another full set of games on Tuesday night as the league table begins to take shape.
Tuesday’s fixtures are all follows: (All 7.45pm kick offs)
AFC Wimbledon vs Cambridge
Accrington vs Mansfield
Barnet vs Northampton
Crawley vs Portsmouth
Dag & Red vs Exeter
Hartlepool vs Newport
Leyton Orient vs Stevenage
Luton vs Bristol Rovers
Morecambe vs Wycombe
Oxford vs Notts County
Plymouth vs Carlisle
York vs Yeovil
Cambridge were involved in a crazy 4-4 draw at Carlisle at the weekend and in truth I’m not sure what to make of them after that. AFC Wimbledon finally ended their poor form on the road on Saturday but I’m not sure I fancy anything in that match.
Accrington and Mansfield are two of the poorer sides in the division and I’d be guessing how that match will go if I’m honest so I’ll leave that one alone and I’ll tentatively ignore Portsmouth but only because they did a bit of travelling at the weekend and they’re a little on the short side. Exeter and Dagenham & Redbridge were both well beaten on Saturday and nothing catches my eye there either.
I quite like Leyton Orient at home to Stevenage but Stevenage might be buoyed by their late equaliser on Saturday and Orient are a little short so again I’ll let that one pass by. Wycombe have started the season well but Morecambe love being underdogs and that one looks a little risky and although Carlisle have a stupid trip on their hands they’ve shown to be hard to beat so far this season. I quite like Plymouth in that one but not enough to get involved at odds on.
York were turned over by Hartlepool on Saturday which isn’t ideal but they have the chance to get their first points of the season when they host another side without a point in Yeovil on Tuesday night. They look like two poor sides at the minute so that one can play out without my cash involved.
Having seen Oxford at first hand on Saturday I was wanting to take them in this set of fixtures but Notts County are one of the better sides in the division so Oxford could be a little short in that match. Were both teams to score not odds on I’d probably have taken that but I do like bets in the other three matches so I’ve no need to take short prices.
Northampton head to Barnet on Tuesday night having yet to concede a goal this season. They are firing nicely up front and keeping clean sheets and that is a good combination. Barnet aren’t just looking for their first point since coming back into the Football League but they’re looking for a first goal in a league game. I’m not convinced they are going to get it here.
Northampton signed well over the summer and those signings have already made a positive impression. With Barnet looking like they will be without Kevin Lisbie I’ll side with the Cobblers on a very nice draw no bet line.
It doesn’t surprise me that Hartlepool have started this season well. They finished last season in fantastic form and have carried that over. What is impressive though is they’ve been winning even though Ronnie Moore has been away in Spain looking after his ill daughter. He’s back in the dugout for this match which will be a boost for a side who’ve won both their matches thus far.
My season preview gave the indication that I expect Newport to struggle this season and they haven’t let me down so far. Not only have they got to travel a million miles for this match (not literally but it’ll feel like it!) but they’ve got to do it off the back of conceding a 90th minute equaliser at the weekend.
In fact that equaliser makes me like Hartlepool more. They showed signs of their strength by coming from behind to beat York at the weekend while Newport faded and failed to hang on against Stevenage. With the momentum behind them and the confidence they will get from coming from behind at the weekend I fancy Hartlepool to notch a third win here.
Finally I’m going to take Luton against Bristol Rovers. Credit has to go where it is due for Bristol Rovers going 20 matches on the road without defeat but I fancy that run to end here. Even their own manager said he was delighted they won at the weekend because this was a tough game coming up and although they won they could only beat a Yeovil side who are taking some time to gel courtesy of a late winner despite the Glovers having 10 men for the last 25 minutes.
They will need an improvement on that if they are to win here as I fancy Luton will be sent out to prove a point after their capitulation against Oxford on Saturday. Elements of letting that lead slip was unfortunate in that Oxford’s first goal was heavily deflected but Luton did contribute heavily to their downfall for the equaliser and the aim of putting that right won’t be lost on anyone.
For all the disappointment of the way Luton surrendered a 2-0 lead at the weekend we saw in building that lead that they can rip open the better sides in the division. Kenilworth Road is still a fortress for the home side despite Oxford’s comeback and I think it will be hard for Rovers to avoid the same outcome their city rivals got at Luton’s old ground last week.
Back Northampton (0AH) vs Barnet for a 4/10 stake at 1.89 with BetVictor
Back Hartlepool (-0.25AH) vs Newport for a 4/10 stake at 1.94 with BetVictor
Back Luton (-0.25AH) vs Bristol Rovers for a 4/10 stake at 1.83 with BetVictor
Blog football YTD: -14.2pts
