Football – England – League One
Saturday 9th February 2013 – Kickoff: 1500hrs
It’s the Greenhous Meadow in Shrewsbury next up as I focus on the fortunes of hosts Shrewsbury Town and their opponents today, Sheffield United.
Despite their current league position of 18th place, Shrewsbury Town have been steady at home this season having lost just three times on home ground all season, but too many stalemates have cost them valuable points as well as a dismal away record. The Shrews are actually on an unbeaten run of eight league matches which of course includes six draws (Colchester United, MK Dons, Notts County, Brentford, Hartlepool United and Bury) and there are a few strong teams within that recent spate of draws too.
Shrewsbury’s home record stands at 5-7-3 18/15 and the only top six club that have defeated them at the Greenhous was Swindon Town way back at the end of September when they lost by a narrow 0-1 margin. A draw with Tranmere Rovers and a convincing 4-1 win over Coventry City earlier in the season suggests they will be hard to break down again here this afternoon, and may even end up taking all three points against a wobbling Sheffield United outfit on their travels.
Onto the visitors then, and Sheffield United as mentioned have been wobbling to the point of the wheels almost coming off completely as recent defeats against bottom of League One Hartlepool United at home 2-3 will testify, 0-2 at home to Yeovil Town and 1-2 to Coventry City again at Bramall Lane.
Draws against Doncaster Rovers and Notts County (both away) have salvaged a little dignity and they’re holding onto sixth place by the skin of their teeth (well, by 3 goals actually), but this fixture won’t be easy for them to take all three points.
Even so, Sheffield United’s away record stands at 6-6-2 16/11 and along with the Doncaster and Notts County results, they also drawn at Swindon Town and beaten Carlisle United 3-1 and Crawley Town 0-2.
The problem with Sheffield United is that you’re never quite sure which Blades will turn up on any given day, and with Shrewsbury being very hard to actually beat at the Greenhous, I’ll take my chances with the quarter ball in Shrewsbury’s favour at a good price. Could be a 1-1 draw.
Pick: Shrewsbury Town AH+0.25 @ 1.93 Pinnacle
