ANYTIME Goalscorer doctor Gavin Horsfall (GHorsfall) returns with another dose of Football League goalscoring magic.
Hopefully some good pointers last weekend. Don’t give up on Kyle Bennett just yet, he’ll go in at that 6/1 soon enough (a disallowed goal midweek). Andy Halliday was a non-runner at Bradford so there should be some money left in your account if you haven’t checked already!
Cambridge United v Shrewsbury Town | Saturday 15.00
The 6/5 on Shrewsbury looks a little short for a side who’ve won just twice in nine games on the road but there’s arguably still mileage in thinking the goals won’t dry up.
Shrews scored two in each of their last three away games prior to last weekend’s 1-0 defeat at Preston where perhaps the switch from 3-5-2 to a 4-4-2 proved as big a stumbling block as facing a team going well in the league above.
Shrews’ midfield has emerged as a key strength as the season progresses and may just be able to impose themselves on a Cambridge side that are going well but tend not to look too far away from a mistake or two.
Ryan Woods looks some player but its James Wesolowski who gets the nod this weekend. The former Oldham man’s scoring record shows a poor return for the amount of good opportunities he finds come his way.
That’s factored into his price mind; so let’s hope this week is the week that Wesolowski gets his goal. He’s 13/2 with Bet365.
Exeter City v Carlisle United | Saturday 15.00
I’ll be honest; I’ve been in denial about Exeter for too long. A failure to accept just how much good work Paul Tisdale has done after a big ante-post bet on them for relegation no doubt the main reason.
They finally get talked up here though as a Carlisle side, who’ve conceded two or more goals in five of their last seven games, visit on Saturday. The attacking threat posed by the Grecians hasn’t gone unnoticed.
Three goals at Accrington, another three versus Shrewsbury and two at Newport have been the headlines in their run of one defeat in nine.
It’s a tough job mind trying to sort out which of the front players to side with. Both Nicholls (Tom and Alex) and Graham Cummins are all in form and that’s reflected in their prices.
I’ll take an alternative option though and hope that Matt Grimes can work some magic from his left-foot at a set-piece to land the odds at 5/1 Bet365.
Notts County v Swindon | Saturday 15.00
Shaun Derry’s work at Notts County is getting all the plaudits it deserves but perhaps their record of W0-D5-L2 against top-half sides shows some vulnerability, especially when we compare it to the W8-D1-L2 record against the bottom-half of the division.
Swindon are the visitors this weekend, a side firmly in the former category and a side that have picked up three straight wins since the 5-0 defeat to Cheltenham in the FA Cup.
A calculated gamble here but Jonathan Obika’s price is the standout one for me for a Swindon side that have failed to score just once in league.
Obika (13/5 Paddy Power) rarely sees out the 90 minutes and is facing competition from a fit again Michael Smith but with Smith starting in a friendly against Marine at the weekend in a game intended to give fringe players a run out, I’ll gamble that Obika starts with Andy Williams.
County, who were on Johnstone’s Paint Trophy duty on Tuesday, should be prepared for a fast Swindon start. The Robins have been two weeks without a game and should be raring to go.
Best Bets
Cambridge United v Shrewsbury Town – James Wesolowski to score at anytime (13/2 Bet365)
Exeter City v Carlisle United – Matt Grimes to score at anytime (5/1 Bet365)
Notts County v Swindon – Jonathan Obika to score at anytime (13/5 Paddy Power)
