One way of retaining our hard-earned profits from the winning weeks is
by keeping level stakes throughout the season. With each Fab Four usually
offering between £70.00 and £100, even one treble will normally yield
around £10, and all for a total layout of £5.00. So we can afford to sit tight
during the bad weeks.
Cup day is with us again and trebles and upwards punters once again
struggle to get a decent return from the Football equivalent of the Grand
National. So once more into the breach of the English lower divisions with a
pound and a prayer.
This weeks Fab Four:
Div 1- Preston v NOTTINGHAM FOREST* 6/4
18th –place Preston’s last win was when they beat Grimsby early in December.
Perhaps they believe that they can now live on this solitary victory?
Five straight defeats since. And, worse have scored only one single goal in
all these games. During the same period, Forest in 4th, won two, then lost
two, then drew two. But the lure of promotion is only a win or two away and
thus the incentive is all on their side.
Div 2- Colchester v BLACKPOOL* 7/4
Struggling Colchester’s lowly place appears to flatter. Their last six
game record reads; 2 draws & four defeats. On the other hand the 8th-place
Seasiders register within the same period, records a consistent no-loss
sequence of; Win, Draw, Win, Draw, Win, Draw. The pattern resumes with
a Win for the ‘Pool who are not out of the promotion battle yet.
Div 2- OLDHAM 11/10 v Crewe
Second placed Oldham have already beaten 3rd –place Crewe away and are
currently enjoying a run of 14 games with just one single defeat back
in December. On the other hand, the defeat at home to Oldham was the
Railwaymen’s only reverse in their past ten games. Speculation is rife
at Crewe as to whether Gazza will be joining them or not. However the
Latics home advantage and push for top spot should be enough to see them
squeeze through, before Mr G gets within a lager-breath of a contract.
Div 3- Cambridge v HARTLEPOOL 6/4*
League leaders ‘Pool face Cambridge who have dropped 3 places to 11th
as a result of having games postponed since the beginning of the year.
First, and last, competitive match for Cambridge this year was a 4-1 defeat while visiting Rushden and Diamonds on January 3rd 2003. The week previously had seen a more relevant 3-0 loss when away to today’s visitors Hartlepool.
‘Pool last sniffed the glove of defeat on Boxing Day but have since
gone on a run of 5 straight wins. Good form and running fit should see the
leaders romp this one.
Suggested Bet: Perm 4 x £1.00 trebles + £1.00 fourfold=£5.00
Trebles Return:
Notts F./Blackpool/Oldham = £13.00
Notts F./Blackpool/Hartlepool = £15.47
Notts F./Oldham/Hartlepool = £11.81
Blackpool/Oldham/Hartlepool = £14.44
All four return £32.48 + the trebles = £87.20
Best Of The Rest:
Nationwide Div 2:
Cheltenham v CHESTERFIELD 13/8.
NOTTS CO.11/8 v Plymouth.
Division 3:
Carlisle v LEYTON ORIENT 6/4.
Swansea v LINCOLN 11/8
Conference:
BARNET 11/10 v Burton.
Northwich v HALIFAX 13/10.
Scarborough v CHESTER 13/8
SFL Div 2: STENHOUSEMUIR v Dumbarton 6/5
All prices quoted from Wm Hills.