Home and Away: Visitors to Hert Cottbus this evening

Some cracking results will send the Robins into the Christmas period full of confidence

Jonno Turner aims to kick off another successful week with one pick from England and one from Germany.

We're staying in familiar climes for our first pick of this new week, and in-form Cheltenham Town welcome Hereford United to Whaddon Road, looking to extend their recent impressive run of results on their own patch.

Mark Yates' side burst out of the traps in style this season - and have been in and around the top three ever since.

And the Robins will be desperate to transfer that form into the FA Cup, as they attempt to secure their place in the next round of the competition this evening.

A home tie with Everton is the prize for the winner of this game, and the hosts will be desperate to see themselves through this clash in order to grab hold of that money spinner in a month or so.

Five consecutive wins on their own patch suggests that Cheltenham are more than capable of achieving that - but it will be the four clean sheets on the bounce in their last four which will most please Yates, as his side shows the stability and consistency necessary to launch a real assault on the top of the third tier.

Ten goals scored in their last five indicates that the Robins forwards are certainly no slouches either - and Hereford will be making the relatively short trip to Gloucestershire expecting a tough tie.

The visitors sit mid table in the Conference National following their relegation from the Football League last year - and just three wins from their last 10 away from Edgar Street will have knocked confidence in the Bulls camp.

Boss Martin Foyle will be looking forward to this competition as a break from a long hard league campaign, but just one win from eight away Conference games going into this one suggests that his side may struggle here.

The FA Cup is famous for its upsets - but I just can't see past a Cheltenham win here, and fully expect them to book their duel with the Toffees in the next round.

Bet 1: Cheltenham Town (HOME) @ 1.64

Switching our attentions to the German 2. Bundesliga now, as second place Hertha Berlin aim to maintain their excellent recent form at Energie Cottbus.

Hertha have enjoyed a promising start since their relegation from the top tier last campaign, and they currently sit in second place in the league with around a third of the season gone.

And the Alte Dame are unbeaten in 14 outings ahead of this tie, which will have them full of confidence at the moment.

Jos Luhukay's side have not lost in their last seven away from the Olympic Stadium, and three wins from their last four suggests that they are more than capable of nicking three points here.

But it is not just the results which have been impressive - it is also the manner in which they have secured those points - and 15 goals scored in their last five on the road shows just how much attacking quality Luhukay has at his disposal.

A 4-0 thrashing of Erzebirge Aue last time out will have particularly given the Blau-Weissen a boost ahead of this one, and this proves to be an interesting encounter.

Cottbus have also enjoyed a decent start to the campaign, and go into this one sitting in fourth place in the second tier.

But their recent form is not half as consistent as their guests - and Rudi Bommer's side have won just three from their last nine games.

They looked very off colour in a 3-1 defeat at Sandhausen last time out, and, although their form at the Stadion der Freundschaft has been decent, their weaknesses are clear.

Luhukay will be looking to take full advantage of those lapses, and I fancy the visitors to secure the full complement of points here.

Bet 2: Hertha Berlin (AWAY) @ 2.3