Northampton

Saturday 12th November 2011

English FA Cup

Luton v Northampton

The league sides enter the FA Cup as all the sides have that dream of reaching Wembley. League Two Northampton, struggling in their division, travel to Luton who will be hoping they can cause a shock and knock out their higher ranked opponents.

Luton have been close to regaining their league status a couple of times in the past few years but they have not quite managed to get over that elusive line. This season is proving a little more difficult as they currently find themselves outside of the play-off’s. It’s still very early, however, and the seven points they are behind the league leaders is not much of a margin when there’s more than half a season and 27 games still to be played. Their home record has been their biggest strength thus far as they have won six of their 10 games at Kenilworth Road, losing three. Their most recent match was a 2-1 loss at home against Fleetwood Town last weekend which would have been a tough one to take as the sides are so close together in the league table. Gary Brabin, in his first full season as Luton boss, will be excited at the prospect of testing his squad against a side from League Two and it will be a measure of how far they have got to go.

Gary Johnson has enjoyed a lot of success in the FA Cup at his previous clubs, most notably Yeovil Town in the early 2000′s. He’s not having as much enjoyment, however, with his new club Northampton as they find themselves closer to the relegation zone than the top of League Two. A lot was expected from Town this season with the new man in charge and the batch of players he brought in. Things havent panned out that way though and with five losses from their last six matches they are currently in 20th positon, just three points off the second relegation spot. Fans are rarely patient in football and with Johnson being so experienced having been around a few clubs, he knows that results need to improve or a change may have to be made. They have managed to pick up more points on the road in the league than at home so another away game may be what they need to kick start their season.

Brabin will be hoping that Amari Morgan-Smith can transfer his goals from the Conference into the cup competitions like last season. Morgan-Smith scored a hat-trick in last season’s FA Cup and has started this campaign even better with nine goals from 15 matches.

Northampton have found it difficult to keep a clean sheet all season. From their 17 matches they have kept the opposition out just three times whilst they have scored in all but five of their League Two matches. Johnson will be aware that they need to shore things up at the back to get more wins but will be confident in the knowledge that if they do manage to do that, they have goals in the team to push them up the table and improve their season.

Kenilworth Road is a hard place to go at the best of times as it’s a tight pitch and the fans create an excellent atmosphere. Northampton, unfortunately for them, are not visiting at the best of times with the run of form they are currently on. They have lost their last three and four of the last five on the road. I think Luton can take advantage of the magic of the FA Cup and add to Northampton’s woe’s.

My Selection: Luton to beat Northampton

Best odds available: 11/8 available with Ladbrokes

English FA Cup

Swindon Town v Huddersfield

A mouthwatering clash at the County Ground see’s Paolo Di Canio’s Swindon entertain Huddersfield as two sides in form meet for a place in the next round of the FA Cup.

Swindon have been on a rollercoaster ever since Di Canio took charge of the club during the summer. There has been public fall-outs with players, impressive performances and the odd heavy defeat. Sometimes up, sometimes down but it’s always been interesting under the former Celtic, Sheffield Wednesday and West Ham talisman is getting to grips with being his own boss. He’s not started too badly at all as Swindon are currently in the play-off zone, seven points off an automatic promotion spot. Their recent form is very good as they are on an unbeaten run of eight games winning six of those. It’s been their most consistent period of the season thus far so it may be that Di Canio is growing into the job and instilling the same belief that he had, into the players.

Huddersfield have been in superb form all season and still remain unbeaten in the league. Lee Clarke’s men equalled Nottingham Forest’s record for the longest unbeaten run in the football league last weekend when they drew 1-1 with Walsall. Ordinarily it would have went down as a disappointing result for the Terriers but to equal the record as they did is an incredible achievement for any club, let alone one playing in the fiercely competitive League One. Clarke will be hoping that this season, unlike the others, will end in promotion to the Championship and that his side’s hardwork will get their deserved reward in May. As it is, league business is put to the side and the club’s focus is on progressing in the biggest cup competition in the World.

It promsises to be a very attractive tie as Di Canio and Clarke were both very good footballers in their own right. They also had a grounding as players which has formed their footballing philosophy as Clarke played under Kevin Keegan whilst Di Canio was signed by Tommy Burns and Harry Redknapp. All three were managers who wanted to play the ball on the ground, attack with purpose and provide the fans with entertainment. Those traits have been adopted by tomorrow’s managers so the fans should be in for a treat.

Swindon have been strong at home with five wins from their eight matches and only the one defeat. They average well over two goals per game as well whilst they don’t concede many either so they will be confident of holding their despite playing against a side a division above them.

Huddersfield have always struggled to turn draws into wins in the league which has been the main reason for them remaining in League One. This season they have won nine and drawn eight of their 17 league games so it looks as though that may still be a problem. They are consistently hard to beat though and will know that despite their lofty league position will count for nothing when they run out tomorrow.

I can see a game of goals at the County Ground on Saturday with so many attacking options on display. I would normally side with Huddersfield but they will have to do without Jordan Rhodes who is on International duty with Scotland this weekend. As that is the case I will go for the overs and hope that the phisophies of Di Canio and Clarke come to the fore.

My Selection: Over 2.5 goals

Best odds available: 7/10 available with BlueSquare

Scottish League Division Two

Cowdenbeath v Stenhousemuir

A rare step into the lower leagues of Scotland for our third preview this week as top of the table Cowdenbeath take on third place Stenhousemuir.

Cowdenbeath have been in superb form all season so it’s no surprise to see them at the top of the table at this stage of the season. They have a 100% record at home in the league winning all five of their matches thus far and have been beaten just twice all season. The Fife club have former Scotland international Colin Cameron as their play manager and his influence cannot be underestimated as his side continue to impress. Cameron was a dynamic midfielder in his prime and having been born just a few miles outside Cowdenbeath, his career has come full circle.

Stenny have surprised many with their form this season which see’s them sitting just five points off of tomorrow’s opponents. Like Cowdenbeath they have been very strong at home with five wins and a draw from six games. Their away form is not has clever with just one win on their travels. They’ve lost just one more game than Cowdenbeath though so they too are a team bang in form and hard to get the better of.

Cameron, unlike many well know managers starting in the lower leagues, has refrained from bringing in some old pal’s to imrpove the club’s fortunes. Instead he has decided to go down the route of inexperience and put his faith in younger players. It is already paying off as the enthusiasm and energy that come’s with using younger players is readily outweighing the fact they have little experience of being in this position.

Stenny have a more experienced squad than their opponents on Saturday but are proving that it can pay to go with an older head or two. The challenge will come over the winter and early Spring as that is when the race for promotion really starts. Will the older heads of Stenny prevail, or will the younger legs of the Cowndenbeath squad just have that vital edge.

Stenhousemuir got the upperhand earlier in the campaign when they beat Cowdenbeath 3-1 back in August. That was earlier in the season and the form Cowdenbeath have been in you can bet it will be a lot closer this time around.

Home form counts for a lot in the this league and having already won five on the bounce in the league, scoring 13 and conceding five, the selection has to be the home side against a team who have won just once on the road this term.

My Selection: Cowdenbeath to beat Stenhousemuir

Best odds available: 5/6 available with Coral

Saturday 18^th December

English Championship

Millwall v Barnsley

Both Millwall and Barnsley comfortably sit in mid-table as they prepare to clash at the New Den tomorrow afternoon.

Millwall started the season very well and looked as though they took the transformation from League One to the Championship in their stride. However it’s never as easy as it looks and there is bound to be some sticky patches along the way. The Lions have suffered one of those already as they went on a run of seven games without a win in September and October. Since then, they have suffered from a lack of consistency as they have won four, lost four and drawn three from their most recent run of fixtures. Kenny Jackett will have probably expected this kind of form at this stage in the season as they have a number of players who have never played at this level before. Of course it’s going to take time to adjust and mistakes will be made. Without a doubt, their biggest disappointment would have been the 6-1 mauling at home to London rivals Watford. It was humiliating and embarrassing but if the younger players learn from it then there will be a positive to take from it.

Barnsley seem to have been around the Championship for years. Mark Robins men have flirted with relegation more often than not in recent seasons but they have that knack of being able to accumulate just enough points to survive. This time around, however, they look to have enough about them to produce a comfortable enough campaign, with the small possibility of even challenging for a play-off position. They currently sit 10^th in the Championship, just four points behind 6^th placed Norwich City. It’s testament to the hard work and discipline that has been instilled in the side by Robins since he took charge in 2009. Aside from some senior strikers, it’s another pretty young squad which has resulted in an almost identical season. Thankfully for Barnsley however, they’re on a very good run of form at the moment after a slow start. Having won four of their last 5, undefeated in all, they head into tomorrow’s game full of confidence, especially as they have won their last two away games.

Without a doubt, Millwall’s star man of the season to date has been Steve Morison. The man who was playing league football for the first time last season, is the club’s top scorer and talisman on their return to the Championship. Now a Welsh internationalist, Morison has led the line superbly well and is catching the eye of some Premier League clubs heading into January. After notching a brace in his side’s last home game, he’s in decent form and will certainly be a pest for the visitors defence tomorrow.

Barnsley will do well to hold on to Adam Hammill as the tricky winger is the subject of some firm interest from England’s top flight. It’s no surprise really as the former Liverpool youth has seven goals from out wide and is thriving at present. When you consider the quality of player plucked from this league in the past, Hammill may well be plying his trade elsewhere next month.

Millwall’s home record has been in and out all season which will be frustrating for Jackett as they normally are so strong at the New Den. Barnsley have had a couple of good wins on the road of late, but they have been against sides struggling for form and even then, they were lucky to grab all three points. I like Millwall’s intensity and style of play at home and because of that, I believe they can triumph tomorrow.

My selection: Millwall to beat Barnsley

Best odds available: EVENS available with Coral  

English League Two

Northampton v Morecambe

Northampton host Morecambe at Sixfields tomorrow knowing a victory could hoist them as high as eighth in the table.

The Cobblers have had an indifferent season to date but things seem to be picking up heading into the festive period. A run of six straight defeats in the league earlier this season was a real shocker for everyone at the club but they have picked themselves up and managed to put a decent run together which has seen them lose just one league match since October. The last time they lost a match at home in the league was over eight weeks ago which proves that they have turned a corner. At the heart of this recovery has been veteran striker Leon McKenzie. The forward has scored six goals in his last ten matches including a hat trick over Hereford. His experience and ability to put the ball in the net is there for all to see and should prove to be a shrewd acquisition in the coming months.

Morecambe have had a real fall from grace this season after their exploits last term. Sammy McIlroy guided his side to the play-off’s last season, only to be thrashed by eventual winners, Dagenham. This time around, however, has been surprising for all the wrong reasons as they are currently languishing in 20^th place, just a couple of points away from the relegation zone. Their dire form may be partly due to their change in stadium as they made the move over the summer. It can have either a positive or negative effect on clubs, for Morecambe, it certainly seems to be the latter. Just two wins from their last nine games in all competitions has resulted in them plummeting to the lower ebbs of the division and very much in a dogfight to stay up.

For all of Northampton’s problems in the early part of the season, they have still only lost two games at home. With two wins and a draw from their last three games, Ian Sampson’s men will be in buoyant mood, especially as tomorrow’s visitors have not tasted success on the road in the same number of matches.

Form is everything in these kind of matches and it makes sense to side with the team on a good run of it. That being the case, I expect Northampton to claim all three points.

My selection: Northampton to beat Morecambe

Best odds available: EVENS available with Victor Chandler  

Scottish Premier League

Kilmarnock v Hibernian

Neither Kilmarnock or Hibernian have played in December due to the big freeze in Scotland so both will be desperate to get back into action at Rugby Park tomorrow.

I have previewed a couple of Kilmarnock games this season and explained that the difference between Killie this season to last is night and day. The style of football, the make up the squad and the entertainment value have all benefited from the change in management. Tomorrow’s match against Hibs represents a different challenge though as they have been inactive for a couple of weeks and unable to train properly because of the weather. With it being a pretty young squad, it will be interesting to see how they cope with not only expectation with the form they’re in, but also the lack of competitive action of late.

Hibs are on to their second manager of the season after John Hughes was sacked for a poor run of results. Colin Calderwood is now tasked with the challenge of toppling city neighbours Hearts from third position. Anything other than that would be considered failure by the Hibee faithful who have grown disillusioned with the club of late. Their recent form has been anything but consistent as they have mixed disaster with delight. A derby day trouncing by Hearts was followed with an excellent success away to Rangers. The quality is at the club but it needs to be focused and channelled in the right direction in order for it to flourish.

Five points separate the clubs heading into tomorrow’s match with Killie looking for a win to close the gap on Motherwell above them. In recent times, Hibs have a terrible record in Ayrshire which doesn’t bode well for them tomorrow. I like trends in the SPL and I believe that Kilmarnock were on too good a run of form before the enforced break for Hibs to gain anything tomorrow.

My Selection: Kilmarnock to beat Hibernian

Best odds available: 6/5 available with Betfred

Saturday 14^th February

English FA Cup

Swansea v Fulham

Championship side Swansea host Fulham of the Premier League in Saturday’s early kick off in one of the tie’s of the round.

The away side head into this game on the back of a run which has seen them lose only two matches out of their last fifteen. The impressive form has seen them record 6 wins with 2 of these coming in this competition, both away against lower league opposition.  Despite these victories away from home in the cup, they have yet to take maximum points on their travels in the league. From their last 3 matches in the league they have lost two and drew the other one, last week’s goalless draw with Wigan.

As I have no doubt mentioned before, Swansea have been a revelation this term. Roberto Martinez has put together a team full of craft, pace and ability and entwined it with graft and enthusiasm. Despite missing last season’s star man, Ferrie Bodde, for much of the season they have put together a run of even better form than Saturday’s visitors. Since their reverse at home to Birmingham in November, they have went on a run of 15 games unbeaten. Granted, 9 of those games were stalemates, but it should be noted that they have won 6 of their last 7 games, including their impressive 2-0 victory over Portsmouth in the last round. Incidentally, their last defeat was also their only home defeat of the season; winning 7 and drawing 8.

Swansea have done exceptionally well against the more cultured sides in the Championship this season, defeating the likes of Reading, Preston, Ipswich and Burnley in recent weeks, with relative ease as well it has to be said. The likes of Jason Scotland, Jordi Gomez and Nathan Dyer are far more effective when they are given space to play and Fulham will allow them a lot of the ball on Saturday as they will look to hit the hosts on the counter-attack.

Fulham have been given two tough games thus far in the FA Cup. They have left it late against both Sheffield Wednesday and Kettering Town, the winning goals coming in the last 5 minutes in both cases – they will find this match even tougher. Having only managed 6 points all season on the road, and scoring a paltry 3 goals in the process, I can see them coming unstuck at what is sure to be a rocking Liberty Stadium.

I think Saturday’s game will be an open game and can see both sides scoring, I just feel that the home side will have a little too much for their higher ranking opponents.

My selection: Swansea to beat Fulham

The best odds available for a Swansea win is  13/8 with Skybet

Also, if you are not as confident in the outright result, I would advise a couple of side bets for a little bit of added interest in what is sure to be an enthralling encounter.

Other selections: Jason Scotland to score anytime 2/1 with Paddypower

More than 2 goals in Swansea v Fulham 5/4 with Stanjames

Saturday 14^th February

English League One

Oldham v Northampton

High flying Oldham entertain perennial mid table finishers Northampton at Boundary Park on Saturday in a match they will be looking to gain all three points in a bid to keep their promotion challenge firmly on track.

Despite a couple of recent setbacks on their travels, Oldham have continued to be a force at home. They have picked up 8 wins and 6 draws from their 15 home games in league 1 already this season, including gaining maximum points from 2 of their last 3. A big part of their success is the quality of their strikers, especially Lee Hughes. The controversial hitman has bagged 15 already this term. Midfielders Liddell and Taylor also have 8 goals apiece, add that to the experience of Dean Windass, on loan from Hull City, then it’s not hard to understand why Oldham sit in 5^th place, 7 points off the 2^nd automatic promotion spot.

Northampton are something of an enigma. Despite proving incredibly difficult to beat on their own turf (only 3 defeats from 15), they have only managed to pick up 3 points on two occasions when playing away from Sixfields. Both these victories were against sides below them in the table and both are currently occupying positions within the relegation zone.

Despite having to contend with a suspension to their goalkeeper, the home side should have too much firepower at the other end of the pitch for Northampton to cope with and should take all 3 points. It’s a game they will have targeted as a must win beforehand and they should oblige.

My selection: Oldham to beat Northampton

The best odds available are 8/11 from Betfred Betfred

Saturday 14^th February

English FA Cup

West Ham v Middlesborough

An all Premier league clash between two sides enjoying contrasting fortunes. The home side are flying in the top half of the table under Gianfranco Zola whilst ‘Boro are on their worst run in 13 years. These are games I normally avoid due to their unpredictable nature but I just cannot see where the away side are going to pick up anything.

Survival is the name of the game for Saturday’s visitors to Upton Park on Saturday. Slap bang in the middle of the relegation zone and without a win in the EPL since the beginning of November, manager Gareth Southgate is faced with his biggest task yet since taking charge. In spite of their shocking league form, they have managed to make it through to this stage by defeating lower league opposition in the shape of Wolves and Barrow.

Zola has started to stamp his mark on this side after a relatively timid opening couple of months in charge. Their narrow defeat to Man United last Sunday was their first reverse since the middle of December, a run of games which has seen them win 6 and draw 2. The likes of Cole, Collison, Behrami and Mark Noble will be a handful for an away side who have failed to win at Upton park since 2000.

The cup may prove to be a welcome distraction for ‘Boro but their pitiful recent form leaves a lot to be desired. Zola will know that defeat would mean merely playing out the rest of the season and hoping for a top 10 finish whereas victory could be the catalyst for a prolonged run in a competition they came so close to winning in 2006.

Roared on by an now expectant home crowd, the pace and power of West Ham should be more than enough to brush aside Southgate’s charges.  

My selection: West Ham to beat Middlesborough

The best odds available for a West Ham win is 5/6 available with Boylesports