SOUTHERN PREMIER
Hemel Hempstead – Merthyr Tydfil 1 (1.62 @StanJames ) 5 units
Merthyr Tydfil don't really have a season to remember. They're currently 16th but things could get even worse. It all started with crowd's favorite Dorrian retiring at the start of the season, then their forward & manager Shephard picked up a nasty injury and remained sidelined for months, then they had to tackle a 17.5% budget cut and now their two standard creative midfielders, Khalil and Dimond, both left the club and the club's chairman is willing to 'give the club' to anyone who wants it. Not the greatest atmosphere at Merthry Tydfil, is it? Even their manager admits they're a bit short up front (and now in midfield too, after those two midfielders left) – they basically have one serious striker and a couple of teenagers who call themselves 'forwards', but they don't plan on bringing anyone in before January. Now they face this tough and long trip to title candidates Hemel Hempstead and anything but a home win would be a big surprise here. So yeah, we're going for a winner this time, not value.
Hemel aren't the best home team in the league (although their cup results at home have been great), but they've put up a good fight a couple of days ago against Conference National outfit Woking (lost 0:1, a draw would've been a fair result, I've just seen the match highlights and read a couple of reports) in the FA Trophy and this time they should finally claim all the points. Like I said, they aren't the best home team in the league, but they're a lot better at home than Merthyr away from home. Merthyr lost away at all play-off candidates this season and at couple of strugglers too, won only one match out of nine away from home and the last time they were playing away, they lost 1:5 at King's Lynn. If Hemel manage to score early (their best scorer Roberts who scored 20 goals already this season is fit again), we could see a similar result here, but I'd be happy with a 1:0 win just as much. Not the greatest odds imaginable – that's why I'm staking only 5 units.
(1.62 also at Bet365, Skybet and Paddy Power, 1.60 at Stanleybet and elsewhere... 1.93 at Pinnacle for (-0.75)...)
FT 0:0
FA TROPHY
Guiseley – Kidderminster 2 (1.83 @Ladbrokes) 4 units
Guiseley aren't playing well lately. They're still in the play-off zone (currently 5th in the Unibond Premier) though, they face a hard match at another play-off cadidates Eastwood this Saturday and I'm sure that the league is the priority at this moment. They want to be in the Conference North next season, they just brought in a new manager and if they concentrate on the league and manage to bring in a couple of new players, they could even pull it off. Their last two home matches were both defeats – 0:2 to Fleetwood and 0:3 to Worksop. It's time to focus on promotion, guys.
Conference National outfit Kidderminster are a lot more proffesional team and they're currently mid-table (10th) in their league (two leagues above Unibond) so I think they won't lack motivation for the competiton in which they were finalists last season. Kidderminster lost their last away match (at mighty Dagenham in the FA Cup), but had two succesive away wins before that. Their last match was at home, in the league, vs promotion candidates Cambridge and they won 1:0 – great result. All players are fit and they shouldn't have too much problem here.
(1.80 at StanJames, 1.79 currently at Pinnacle, 1.75 at Bwin, Bet-at-home, Tipico, Winunited, Mybet...)
FT 1:2
Post je objavljen 18.12.2007. u 23:58 sati.