Football – England – League Two
Saturday 1st December 2012 – Kickoff: 1500hrs
I now turn my attention to the lower half of League Two where I focus on hosts Wycombe Wanderers and their match against fourth from bottom Bristol Rovers at Adams Park on Saturday afternoon.
Wycombe recorded back-to-back wins for the first time since early October following a much-needed 3-0 home win over mid-table Burton Albion last weekend and they’ll be looking to post another three points when Bristol Rovers visit as the west country men have won just once on their travels all season.
Wycombe Wanderers’ home record stands at 2-3-4 9/10 but they seem to have momentum on their side ahead of today’s fixture as they also beat play-off candidates Rotherham United 3-2 away from home week before last. Leading scorers for The Chairboys are Joel Grant and Matt McClure (5 goals apiece) with Grant also contributing with 3 assists, and these two combined well in their recent 3-0 win over Burton Albion with both finding the back of the net. Stuart Lewis and player-manager Gareth Ainsworth have also chipped in with 2 assists each.
Onto today’s visitors Bristol Rovers then, and The Pirates have had a rather miserable time of it on their travels so far this season in League Two; just the one victory which was at Exeter City 2-1 but this was back at the end of September and since then they’ve earned just the one point from their next five away matches (a 1-1 draw at Burton Albion).
Bristol Rovers will be looking to avoid a fifth successive away defeat on Saturday following straight losses at AFC Wimbledon 1-3, Accrington Stanley 0-1, Rochdale 1-2 and a 0-4 thrashing at Port Vale last Tuesday evening.
Overall, Rovers have won just once in their last seven matches which was a 3-2 home win over mid-table Chesterfield, but they’ve suffered five straight losses within this poor run of form. The obvious flaw in their armour is their inability to keep a clean sheet away from home; just one clean sheet in their last seventeen away matches tells it’s own story and therefore gives Wycombe an anticipated headstart here today.
Bristol Rovers’ away record stands at a poor 1-3-5 7/18 with only Burton Albion (6 goals) and bottom club Barnet (5 goals) scoring fewer away goals than them. Leading scorer is Tom Eaves (6 goals, 3 assists) but his strike partner David Clarkson (5 goals, 2 assists) didn’t figure in their recent 3-3 draw with Bradford City, neither did Elliot Richards (3 goals, 2 assists). One feels that Eaves needs more support alongside him if Rovers are to get anything from this match, and combined with their poor defensive record away from home, everything seems to be pointing to the home side here in this one.
This could be a 2-1 home win for Wycombe.
Pick: Wycombe Wanderers straight win @ 2.30 Bet Victor
