Blue Square Bet Premier weekend betting preview by Alan Alger from Blue Square
Crawley Town can secure the Blue Square Bet Premier title on Saturday with a win at Tamworth. The Red Devils are just 8/15 to win at The Lamb and finally confirm the inevitable. The title race may have been dead as a contest a few weeks ago but the race for the play-offs are bursting into life. At Blue Square we believe nine teams are in contention to win the play-off final – ranging from our 11/4 joint-favourites AFC Wimbledon and Luton Town to big outsiders Bath City at 150/1. My particular fancy, and a side I’ve been backing for a while, are Kidderminster Harriers who have briefly slipped out of the top five. Steve Burr’s team have a decent mix of end of season fixtures against opponents at each end of the table. They have a tough game at Grimsby Town this weekend but I fancy them to get at least a point. Harriers are slight favourites at 7/5 to win at Blundell Park, Grimsby are 13/8 and the draw is 23/10.
Southport will be hoping to complete a quick fire double over Luton Town as they travel to Kenilworth Road at the weekend. Liam Watson will be shaking the hand of fellow Scouser Gary Brabin in the opposing dugout after Richard Money’s reign was ended by that first match. Despite Southport faltering when odds-on against Eastbourne last week I think Watson will have reminded his players that they have the beating of The Hatters. A midweek draw at Mansfield coming from two goals down was a good way to bounce back and they can avoid defeat here. The best way to back them is receiving a goal start on the ‘match handicap’ that means we get any Southport victory or drawn game as a winning bet at 11/8.
AFC Wimbledon are 6/5 to win at Cambridge United and almost assure a play-off berth. The U’s have been hard to beat in recent weeks and should avoid being dragged into the relegation zone. If so their supporters can look ahead to a season of putting things right at the Abbey Stadium as they try to become challengers again – it may take a while. We can’t split the sides as Wrexham travel to Rushden & Diamonds. The Welsh side were involved in one of the shocks of the season last Saturday as they lost at home to Hayes & Yeading United – showing that there are no certainties in this competitive division. Hayes and Yeading will look to follow up with a home win over Mansfield Town which is priced at 6/4.
Darlington host Bath City in a match where the loser would almost certainly be out of the play-off fight. It’s as big as 4/5 that Darlington win this match which proves what a great season Bath are having. York City drew at home to Crawley Town in midweek and have another difficult home fixture. Anthony Hudson took the helm at Newport last week and started as he meant to go on. County travel to Bootham Crescent with a real threat and we’re taking no chances at 13/5. York City are a best price of Evens.
Fleetwood Town occupy fifth spot and will stay there if they can win at odds of 4/5 at Eastbourne Borough. The home side have certainly turned the corner from their disastrous winless run, but the bell may have already tolled on their future in the division. The Sports are 3/1 to get the three points they require to keep their safety hopes alive. Barrow look like solid 6/5 home favourites at home to Kettering who have little more than pride to play for.
Gateshead are one of the shortest priced teams of the weekend at 1/2 for their home match with Histon. The Stutes can be relegated on the day if results go against them, although anything else would be surely just a delay. Forest Green Rovers host Altrincham in an intriguing clash which is one of those ‘six-pointers’. Ken McKenna has done a great job at Alty and if you took their points gained under him and averaged them out over a full season they would be comfortably in mid-table and planning for next year. Their bad start means they need to win here at 9/4 and I fancy them to do so.
ALAN’S BEST WEEKEND TREBLE
ALTRINCHAM to win at Forest Green Rovers
FLEETWOOD TOWN to win at Eastbourne Borough
BARROWto beat Kettering Town
A £10 bet at the current Blue Square prices returns just over £125.00.
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